The Queen's Rose
by Raychaell Dionzeros
Summary: It's the year 2011. Ciel becomes curious when he receives a letter from the Queen that he has to work on a case with the Queen's Rose. Then he meets the mysterious Claudia, and to add to his troubles, a new rival in the Underworld. Just what is going on!
1. An Invitation

**Hi, this is my 1****st**** try writing something like this, so if you find any mistakes, tell me!**

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><p>The girl sat in the cushioned chair at the window, her amethyst eyes thoughtful as she gazed out of the large French window she sat beside. Ebony hair flowed down her back only to rest in a small puddle around her waist. The sunlight streaming through the window framed her slight frame and a golden oval locket on a lacy black choker glinted in the sunlight. Pale, pink lips that framed her delicate mouth let out a small sigh of boredom as she absentmindedly stroked a black cat that was fast asleep in her lap.<p>

Claudia Darius had seen the same scenery over and over again for the past few weeks. Normally, she would be busy either reviewing company reports or practicing her martial arts skills with William de Sentis, her loyal and faithful manservant/butler. However, she was tired of doing of both and had resigned herself to watching an ever-changing landscape.

Just then, a polite knock sounded at her door. Claudia raised her head but did not look away from the window even as she called out in a bored tone, "Enter."

A tall man with long blond hair tied back by a ruby red ribbon entered the room. He wore a dark suit and an equally red ribbon on his white long sleeved shirt collar. Gloved hands balanced a silver tray on which balanced a small pile of letters while icy blue eyes surveyed with an amused gaze the messy state his mistress' room was in. Books were strewn all over the lush carpet, some open, some closed. The mahogany bookshelf, which held several of Claudia's current favorite books, looked forlorn with several gaping spaces on the shelves. The bed was messy as well, and several electronic devices were left on the plush blue covers.

"Lady Claudia, you have mail." Claudia turned her head towards him with an impassive expression that would have fooled others into thinking that the young noble did not have a care in the world. However, to his experienced eyes, his mistress' eyes held a small spark of interest at the thought of mail.

"Oh? Bring it here William." William complied and strode over to his mistress, carefully balancing the rose embossed tray on his gloved hands. Once he reached her side, he handed her the small pile, watching as she sorted through the mail with a bored gaze.

That was until she spotted a lacquered card, which held her attention. The creamy white paper was decorated with several flowery vines and written upon it in bold were the words 'You are invited to the Spring Bash at Countess Webster's place!' Written below in smaller print were the details of where the venue was, the time and date.

But what raised Claudia's attention was the name Earl Ciel Phantomhive.

According to the invitation, the Earl was among the invited, and he would be exhibiting his newest products at the party. Apparently he would also give out some freebies to the attendees as well. Claudia was not surprised. After all, this was a common company tactic to gather more profits and it was also well known fact that Countess Amelia Webster, the party's host, was a fan of Funtom products.

"Ahem." William cleared his throat to get Claudia's attention. She raised her questioning eyes towards him.

"I couldn't help but look through your mail when I was sorting it, and I found a letter that would definitely be of interest to you, Dia." William only used the shorthand version of Claudia's name when they were among family and friends or when they were alone. Reaching a hand into his suit, he pulled it out to reveal a plain white envelope which had the words, 'To my Crimson Rose' written on the front. The letter was sealed with red wax, upon which was embossed a very familiar coat of arms.

The letter was from the Queen.

"Give it here." Claudia ordered excitedly. She abandoned all pretenses of an uncaring lady to become the eager child she was sometimes truly was. William smiled at her happiness but did not move. Claudia scratched her head in confusion. It was unusual for Will not to obey her. In fact, the only times he disobeyed her was when he wanted to…

Claudia's eyes widened as she realized what she had forgotten. "William, take the letter to my study. I'll be there in a few minutes." With that order, Will smiled and obeyed; she had passed his silent test. The reason for his earlier disobedience was because Claudia had forgotten that wasn't a letter opener in her bedroom, and since the letter was sealed with wax, she would have to open it in her study where the letter opener was.

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><p>After William left, Claudia gently moved Casshern the cat from her lap to the cushioned seat, accidentally interrupting his sleep in the process. The black cat woke with a huge yawn, stretching his limbs, which had become cramped during his long sleep. Casshern glared at his mistress with his emerald eyes, demanding an answer for his rude awakening.<p>

Claudia couldn't help but giggle at his grumpy expression. "Sorry Casshern, but I've got to get dressed. After all, old Gertrude will scold me if she catches me running around the manor in my nightgown!"

Casshern seemed to accept her apology and sitting back on his haunches, he watched curiously as his owner dashed towards her wardrobe, pulling open the mahogany doors to reveal rows of clothing. After a few minutes of silent consideration, Claudia grabbed a pair of faded blue jeans and a white long sleeved shirt, throwing them onto her already messy bed. A violet vest with silver buttons and a pair of sneakers joined the small pile minutes later. Claudia hurriedly dressed, pulling on her shoes even as she hopped towards the door.

Pushing open the door with her shoulder, Claudia ran towards to her study, which was a few doors away from her bedroom. Casshern soon joined her, running at her heels even as she swerved from the paths of her busy servants, who called out cheerful greetings of, "Morning, Milady!" or "Nice to see you up and early, Lady Claudia!"

Claudia smiled at the numerous greetings from her servants and gave way to an occasional reply of "Thanks!" or "Nice to see you too!", even as she dashed down the carpeted floor. She finally skidded to a stop outside the fourth door she saw. Casshern, who was used to his mistress' sudden stops, managed to avoid crashing into her and eagerly followed behind her as she threw open the doors. William awaited her behind her swivel chair in his usual position. The Queen's letter rested on the writing pad on her wooden antique desk. Will had already prepared a lit candle and the silver letter opener, which was on her desk.

With quick thanks, Claudia slipped into the leather chair with a sigh of pleasure. She had missed the study, which had belonged to her father and she had continued using it after his death. After warming the blade slightly, Claudia quickly opened the envelope to reveal a letter within. Taking it out, Claudia settled back into the chair even as she read the letter while Casshern grumplily settled into her lap again. It read:

'To my beautiful Crimson Rose,

How are things at your residence? Have you been well? The reason I wrote to you today was to address the issue about the Spring Bash whose invitation you may have received by now and ready to decline as always. (Claudia couldn't help but grimace at this. The Queen knew her hate for social events all too well.)

Before you think of declining, I want you to attend and meet my loyal Watchdog, who will also be attending. After all, we know how bored you are with nothing interesting in London or overseas to occupy your attention. Therefore, this is your assignment.

Meet the Watchdog, and work with him on this case, which would definitely be of great importance to you and your Thorn. There recently have been numerous disappearances in the city. Both adults and chidren have gone mysteriously missing with no leads as to where they are. I need you both to investigate where they have disappeared to, find out who is behind this, and make them understand the consequences of crossing you.

I have done all I can to keep this out of public notice but I fear that we may not have much time left before the public realises what is going on. The Black Rose and Watchdog has been notified of this case. Best of luck in your ivestigations!

Her Majesty,

Qenn Elizabeth II '

Claudia silently handed the ltter over to Will, her lips forming a smirk of satisfaction. William, after reading the letter, looked down at his mistress, his eyes settling upon her. "What will you do now, Milady?"

"Isn't that obvious? It's time to do my duty as the Queen's Rose." With that, Claudia rose out of her seat, ignoring a surprised Casshern who yowled his annoyance at her sudden rise. She gracefully crossed the wooden floor, her hand pausing on the doorknob as she turned her head back and asked, " Are you coming, William, my Thorn?"

William, who still clutched the letter in his gloved hands, merely smiled mysteriously. Placing the letter on the desk, he moved towards Claudia. Stopping a few metres away from her, he kneeled down on his right knee and with his right hand flat against his heart, bowed his head low and answered, "Yes, my Lady, my Rose."

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><p>In In another mansion, several miles away, a boy with blue-black hair read a letter with similar contents as the one Claudia received. Placing the letter on his desk, he leaned back into the chair with a thoughtful expression. His raven haired demon butler merely watched him patiently. Centuries of serving Ciel had made him tolerant of his young master, but there were times when Sebastian wished that Ciel wasn't a demon and that the older demon had taken Ciel's soul before Ciel was turned. Then there were times when Sebastian knew that Ciel made an excellent demon with his intelligence.<p>

Ciel spoke at last, lifting the eyepatch on his right eye to reveal the contract mark that bound the older demon to Ciel.

"Sebastian, this is an order. Find out all you can about the Crimson and Black Rose." Sebastian bowed deeply before Ciel even as the pentagram on Ciel's eye glowed.

"Yes, my Lord. But if I may ask, what will you be doing in the meantime?"

" Me? I have a party to prepare for."

This was one of those times.

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><p><strong>Raychaell: YAY! I finally completed it! You know what to do, my dear readers! Review!<strong>

**Claudia: About time too, idiot.**

**Raychaell: Oh shut up, Claudia…. Review are appreciated, while flames will be used to roast marshie-mallows!**

**Claudia: She's gone mad.**

**Raychaell: Oh Claudia, I'm giving Casshern to Sebastian...**

**Claudia: *shrieks madly* NOOO! **


	2. Meeting Lady Claudia

**Raychaell: All right! Here's a brand new chapter for you all! Enjoy it my dears, and yes, Ciel will have more presence in this chapter!**

**Claudia: Will I meet the shorty at last?**

**Raychaell: Sigh… 1. Ciel is not a SHORTY! 2. Yes, you'll be meeting him at last… Anyways, read and review!**

**William: *clears throat* Ahem, Miss Dionzeros, I believe you forgot to do the disclaimer.**

**Raychaell: I did? *Checks* Crap! I did! Sorry! I do not own Black Butler, only my own OCs!**

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><p>Ciel stared out of the window of his car in deep thought. The car was currently being driven by Sebastian, whose red eyes flicked to the image of his young master who was lost in thought. It had been an hour ever since Sebastian had returned to his young master's side and reported that he had found frustratingly little information about the Crimson and Black Roses. Ciel had been shocked with the news. After all, with such an unusual title, it should have been easy for Sebastian to find out at least something useful about his mysterious new allies.<p>

Then again, there was something about the Black Rose that he was able to find out. Apparently, there were rumors circulating around the Underworld that the Black Rose was back and ready to destroy any obstacles in his path. The rumors also whispered about how the Rose was connected to the mysterious new competitor, who had named himself Rouge, for the position of head of the Underworld. Just who or what was the Black Rose?

"Young Master? We've arrived." Sebastian's voice broke Ciel out of his reverie. Shaking his head to clear the mental cobwebs in his mind, Ciel picked up his cane, his single cerulean blue eye now full of determination to enjoy the party the best he could. Sebastian was already at his door and opened it to allow Ciel to step out.

The Earl was dressed in light blue spring attire, top hat in place and hair neatly combed. He stored down the red carpet in his black dress shoes, ignoring the usual throng of reporters at the entrance. Sebastian, having handed the keys to the car over to the valet, was a few steps behind him in his usual black suit.

The two of them caused fervor among the reporters. After all, the Earl Phantomhive was apparently the last of his line and had appeared a few years back with the mysterious black clad butler who caused women who saw him to sigh in hopes that the devilishly handsome man would notice them. But the Earl was also well known for rebuilding the Funtom Company and making its mark as one of the world's best toy and confectionary companies. And to top it all off, the Earl was just a 15 year old child **(A/N: Yea, I know he was 13 - 14 when he became a demon but I thought Ciel wouldn't want to be stuck as a kid all the time. So he's 15. Just bear with it, will ya?)** It was simply amazing!

Ignoring the reporters and the flashing light bulbs, Ciel strode forwards to meet the host of party, Countess Amelia Webster. The middle-aged woman was, as always, dressed in one of her outlandish attires, which did nothing to improve her image. Today, she was dressed in a pasty yellow summer dress; its multiple ruffles serving only to make the Countess look fatter than she usually was. She also wore a white sunhat which had a pink ribbon tied around the crown. The Countess' fluttering fingers dripped multiple rings, most of which Ciel was sure suited the woman when she was younger.

Hiding his thoughts behind a polite smile, Ciel bowed politely towards the older woman. "Hello there, Countess Amelia. It's a pleasure meeting you. Thank you again for inviting me to your party. I hope you like my products exhibition so far."

Ciel greeted her. The Countess, once again fluttered around, thanking him for his attendance and the exhibition complimenting his and Sebastian's appearance, occasionally giving Sebastian a flirtatious wink. This only served to disgust the older demon, for both Ciel and Sebastian had heard about the numerous lovers the Countess had and invited to her bed whenever her aged husband, Count Harold Webster, had to leave the town or country for a business meeting.

Behind them, there was another flurry of clicks and eagerly shouted questions as the reporters found another newsworthy subject. _Must be another celebrity the Countess invited, _Ciel thought wearily. He watched as the Countess fluttered forwards to the latest guest. Due to her heavy bulk blocking him, Ciel could not get a clear view of the guest. A glance at Sebastian's slightly frustrated expression told him that the older demon could not catch a glimpse as well.

"Ah, Earl Phantomhive! Meet Lady Claudia Darius, head of her family and owner of Darius Enterprises. And joining us too is her butler, William de Sentis." The Countess exclaimed in her over enthusiasm. She turned to reveal one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen.

Ebony hair was pinned behind an elegant braid by amethyst hairpins, with the rest of her hair flowing down her back. Her black hair framed her heart shaped face while two red fabric roses pinned onto darker red ribbons wrapped around her neck as a choker. She also wore a vest with an inner white corset peeping above the inside. Ruby teardrops hung from her ears as earrings. Amethyst eyes gazed with curiosity at Ciel and dainty low-heeled black shoes peeped out from beneath her dress. The dress she wore was of a darker shade of violet and flowed down her waist in multiple ruffles while thin lacy lavender arm warmers that ended in ruffled sleeves covered her arms.

_She's so beautiful_ was the only thing Ciel could think of as he stared at her. Next to him, Sebastian managed to stop looking at her enough to see her butler, William. He was dressed in a dark blue suit with a while collared shirt beneath. A long red ribbon was seen around his neck and his long blonde hair that was let down was tied back with an equally red ribbon. Icy blue eyes that were seen behind a pair of frameless glasses watched his mistress with a possessive gaze and rose to meet Sebastian's red eyes with a fierce look of determination. _She's mine,_ his eyes said. On his face however, was a pleasant smile that greeted both him and the Countess, who hovered around watching the two young nobles.

Claudia was the one who broke the silence first. "Hello there, I am Lady Claudia Rosario Alicia Darius, head of Darius Enterprises. Pleased to make your acquaintance. And you are…" Her question hung on the air as she tilted her head slightly to express her curiosity.

Ciel seemed to quickly snap out of his daze and, quickly composing himself, he answered her. "I am the Earl Ciel Phantomhive, head of the Funtom Company. It is a pleasure to meet you too." William bowed towards Ciel even as his mistress dipped into a low curtsy in greeting. Ciel and Sebastian bowed in response and exchanged brief smiles with the other two while the Countess watched with a beaming smile.

"Now that you have met and exchanged greetings, go in and enjoy the party! I have some welcoming to do! Ta ta!" And with that overenthusiastic good bye, the Countess left to harass another celebrity who had just arrived behind them.

"May I have the honor of escorting a beautiful young lady like you in?" Ciel offered even as he turned and raised his right arm. Claudia curtsied again, and grinned.

"Of course, my Lord." With that, she took Ciel's arm and walked in with him while the other two followed a few steps behind them. The scene of the two of them acting like a couple caused another flurry of light bulbs and also caused a barrage of shouted questions which all four ignored as they crossed the carpet into the party. Once in, William tapped Claudia's shoulder to get her attention. Claudia turned her head slightly and raised her eyes to his. William smiled and silently nodded towards an empty tent in the corner of the field in which the party was held. Claudia's eyes followed his gaze and at once understood the silent message he was giving her. She turned her head back towards Ciel, who had noticed the quick exchange between the two. Tilting her head with a smile, Claudia asked, "William was just asking if we would like to step out of the hot sun and have a seat there. Shall we, my Lord?"

Ciel answered with a smile," Of course, and please, call me Ciel. My lord makes me feel ancient." Claudia gave way to a light chuckle at this and nodded towards William to lead the way. William complied with a smile and a bow towards the young nobles before leading them both towards the tent. Once they were there, both sat down on the seats provided. Meanwhile, Sebastian was silently impressed. He had noticed the tent a split second after William did but then again, that was because he was still puzzling over the reason behind William's gaze and the silent message he had gotten from William. _She's mine. _Those two words just puzzled him further. _Never mind_, he thought to himself, _I'll think about it later_. He turned his attention back to Ciel, who was currently engaged in a discussion with Claudia.

"So, Lady Darius," Ciel began.

"Just call me Claudia. Lady Darius makes me feel old too!" Claudia interrupted with a chuckle. All Ciel could think of when he heard her laughter was, _she has a nice laugh_. He mentally shook his head at that. He was a demon after all, and shouldn't be falling for her, a mere mortal.

"So Claudia, I see you too have been pressed into accepting the invitation from the Countess. Isn't that right?"

"Yes, but my original intention when I first received the invitation was to decline of course, since I -" Claudia was interrupted mid sentence by an annoyed yowl. All four of them looked down to see…

A cat. A black cat to be exact. Emerald eyes stared with annoyance at Claudia as the cat yowled again. While Sebastian stood still, transfixed by the cat's beauty, Claudia gave way to soft laughter and picked up the cat, which had a purple ribbon around the neck and a silver bell hanging from it. It made a soft yet pleasant tinkling noise whenever the cat moved.

Claudia returned her attention to Ciel even as she placed the cat in her lap, where it curled up preparing to go to sleep. "Sorry about that, Ciel, but as you can see, Casshern here was rather annoyed about hiding beneath my skirt." She apologized.

"You mean to say…" Ciel trailed off in sudden realization.

"Yes, Casshern here belongs to me. He's my best friend and while I usually leave him at home while I go to parties, he insisted on joining me this time. My guess is that he was bored of staying at my manor all the time."

Sebastian spoke at last, but as Ciel feared, it was in a dreamy tone as the older demon had, once again, gone into a cat loving frenzy. " What a magnificent cat he is. With such beauty and grace, not to mention such glossy fur that had been brushed to perfection, he truly is beautiful."

Ciel mentally face palmed while Claudia and William exchanged amused looks. William spoke first. " Judging by your tone, I assume Mr. Michaelis is a cat lover at heart too?"

_Please don't say or nod yes, Sebastian. Please! _Ciel mentally pleaded. However, his mental plea went unheard as Sebastian nodded eagerly with an exuberant grin. Claudia laughed merrily while Ciel let his forehead smack the table. That cat – loving demon was truly going overboard now. Here he was, trying to impress the younger girl, but Sebastian was ruining things with his cat fetish. He would never be able to leave a good impression this way!

"Don't worry. I don't mind your butler. It was rather expected seeing as to how many of my friends usually love to see Casshern more than me whenever they visit me. After all, Casshern is beautiful." Ciel's hope rose at the merry tone in Claudia's voice. Quickly straightening himself, he adopted a cool manner and began speaking.

"Your cat is indeed a beauty but why would you hide him?"

"That's because the Countess disapproves of animals during her parties. She thinks they make a mess everywhere they go."

"Does he?"

"Nope. Casshern is very well trained and intelligent enough to understand my mood sometimes. I first met him when my parents died when I was twelve."

"Wait, your parents are dead?"

"Yea. They were killed in a fire at our townhouse. I didn't exactly quite understand my parents' deaths then, and was always cooped up in my room at the main mansion crying away. During that time, William had not joined me yet. I was weeping in my room when Casshern, who was just a kitten and born a few weeks before my parents' death, stumbled into my room accidentally. When he saw me crying, he became curious and tried to lick my tears away. I disliked him at first for bothering me, but he never gave up and just continued to comfort me by purring to me or doing funny antics. I eventually fell in love with him and named him Casshern."

"How about William? When did he join you?"

"That, is a story for another time and place. I am not fit to tell it anyways and it will be William's choice to tell it when he wishes. Now that I've told my story, why don't you tell yours?"

"Me? I do not have much of a story to tell you."

"You'll be surprised about how many people say that, but" At this, Claudia leaned forward slightly and placed her left hand on Ciel's right arm. Ciel froze in surprise at this. Normally, he would have yanked his hand away at a stranger's touch, but Claudia's hand… It felt _warm…_ When he looked into her amethyst eyes, he felt like he was drowning in those amethyst pools. He couldn't look away from her eyes, not that he wanted to. Her earnest gaze made him feel like he was melting in her eyes. Claudia spoke again, never breaking eye contact.

"Can you tell me?"

Ciel felt his lips move as he answered her. "Yes." From there, he carefully spoke of his family history, managing to keep a clear enough head to bend the truth to fit the current times.

"My family was killed in a fire too, when I was eleven **(A/N: I have no idea what age he was when Ciel's family died so I'll just assume he was eleven when he met Sebastian.)** and the police never found out who did it. I was alone for a while, until I recruited Sebastian and he has been my butler ever since." There, short and sweet, without revealing too much about himself. But she continued to hold his gaze, and he could feel himself drowning, drowning in her eyes…

"RRIINNNGGG!" A phone went off nearby making Claudia blink in surprise. The moment eye contact was broken, Ciel felt himself slump back into his chair. His head felt cloudy for some reason and he could have sworn he heard her voice in his mind whispering away. Sebastian placed an anxious hand on Ciel's shoulder. Ciel placed a hand on top of the older demon's and nodded to show that he was fine. Sebastian's red eyes were full of anxiety but it cleared the moment Ciel indicated that he was fine.

"Sorry about this, but I have to take a call. May I be excused, Milady?" William apologized, while Casshern yowled his annoyance at the rude awakening. Claudia merely chuckled and nodded her permission. William bowed again in apology before moving out of the tent to take the call.

The moment William left, Claudia turned her bright eyes back to Ciel, who straightened himself. She asked, "So why are you here at this party, Ciel?"

Ciel quickly replied, "That is because I had to give an exhibition to the Countess, whom, as many know, is an avid fan of my company products. What about you? " That was partially true, but he couldn't tell her that the Queen had ordered him to attend and meet the mysterious Crimson Rose. Then again, could it be that Claudia was the one he was looking for? Claudia's voice broke him from his reverie. "I attended because the Countess was my mother's college classmate. Also, I wanted to see how my roses were coping."

"Your roses?"

"Yes. One of the things my family is well known for is our excellent breeding of premium roses. We have even opened a chain of flower stalls to sell our flowers."

"Ah, so your company focuses on flower breeding?"

"Not exactly. We are also well known for our rose themed and pharmaceutical products. But in the end, it's the roses that everyone likes. We even have a Royal Warrant for it!" Claudia gave way to a light chuckle at this. Ciel did too, but his mind was racing with possibilities. _Could she be the Crimson Rose?_ He thought to himself. But before he could open his mouth to ask her, they were interrupted by William's return. He bent down towards Claudia and, screening his lips and Claudia's ear with his gloved hand, he whispered something to her. With his demon hearing, Ciel was able to hear the following conversation.

"Milady, there's been a small mishap at the science department. Your immediate presence is required."

Claudia gave way to a grimace at this. She quickly got up while Casshern scrambled to the ground. "My apologies, Ciel, but it seems that my presence is required at my company so I must leave."

Ciel quickly rose with her and shook his head firmly in reply. "It is of no trouble to me. I just hope that it's nothing too serious. Thank you anyway for chatting with me for I was afraid of being bored to death during the party." Claudia smiled at this, and after a quick curtsy from her and a low bow from William, both of them left the tent hurriedly.

Ciel watched the both of them leave as he sat down. The moment they were out of earshot, he spoke. "Sebastian, what do you think of Claudia and William?"

Sebastian pondered the question for a while before replying, "I think Lady Claudia is suitable for you if you ever think of getting engaged, my Lord, but it's her butler who bothers me."

Ciel blushed furiously at the comment about Claudia but raised his startled gaze towards Sebastian when he spoke about William. "How so?" He asked.

"Well, Mr. Sentis is a human for sure, but also not quite human . Did you notice how possessive he was of his mistress when we first met? Also, Claudia isn't ordinary too. I would say she's the same as Mr. Sentis but she exudes a different aura. With such a fragrance around her, I'm surprised that no demon has claimed her soul yet."

"Your point being…?

"Young Master, I would advise you to be careful around her." Ciel pondered Sebastian's words carefully. It wasn't often Sebastian said things like this, and he was curious anyway of Claudia. Just who is she?

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><p>In a factory far from the party venue, a furious shout could be heard.<p>

"WHAT ON EARTH HAVE YOU IDIOTS DONE THIS TIME?"

Claudia was fuming away as her angry gaze settled on the rows of cringing scientists before her. She had been so close to hypnotizing Ciel and learning the secrets he hid, but then she was interrupted by the call William received, therefore breaking whatever hold she had over him. William however, merely hid a smile at his mistress' fury and pitied the poor scientists who currently bore the marks of another disastrous experiment. Soot marks could be seen on them and their hair was all puffed up like an Afro hairstyle.

"I warned you just last week that I wanted less explosions and more successful experiments! But what do I get instead? Half – HALF - The equipment is wrecked and some are beyond repair! How on earth am I going to explain all this to the insurance company?"

"WE'RE SO SORRY MISS DARIUS! PLEASE FORGIVE US!" The scientists all cried in unison. Claudia's eyebrow twitched; it was a sign that she was very mad and was about to have a headache. The scientists all cringed in wait for the furious lecture they were about to receive but raised their heads in surprise to hear her let out a weary sigh. William, upon seeing his mistress' exhaustion, pulled up a chair for her to slump into. Claudia sank gratefully into it, her hands draped across the armrests as her head leaned back. She closed her eyes for a few minutes before opening them to reveal a weary gaze. She spoke then.

"I'll forgive you guys on account that you got me out of a boring party, _but_ ifthis havoc occurs again when I'm in the middle of something interesting, I'll dock your wages!" She had barely finished speaking before a great cheer started by the scientists rose in volume and drowned out the rest of her words. Claudia sighed again, but this time with a smile as she surveyed the scientists. She could never stay mad at them since they were like her second family with their crazy antics. Casshern meowed from her feet, asking to be picked up. Chuckling softly, Claudia picked him up before gesturing William forward.

William obeyed and stepped towards to his mistress. "Yes, Lady Claudia?"

Claudia's smile was quickly replaced by a devilish smirk that usually sent chills up the spines of those who saw it. "Inform Rouge that I have met the Watchdog and tell him, _Let the games begin_." William bowed at this, and with a smirk matching his mistress', he replied, "Yes, my Lady, my Rose."

Later at home, Claudia smiled to herself as she watched the full moon outside her window of her bedroom while Casshern was fast asleep on her pillow. Watching the moon, she whispered softly.

"Soon you will be my pawn to control, Ciel Phantomhive. This I swear upon my title as the Crimson Rose!"

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><p><strong>Raychaell: And Chapter 2 is done! Love it? Review then!<strong>

**Claudia: You want Ciel to FALL IN LOVE WITH ME?**

**Raychaell: Yup!**

**Claudia: But I'm not interested in him!**

**Raychaell: *shrugs* Then treat him like your pawn then. After all, you _are _the Crimson Rose. Surely you can do that?**

**Claudia: Idiot.**

**Raychaell: If you guys don't review, I'll give Casshern to Sebastian!**

**Claudia: NOOO! If you want to save Casshern, please review!**


	3. Life at the Darius Manor

**Raychaell: Hey hey hey! Here's chapter 3 for you guys! Let's take a closer look at the daily life of Claudia!**

**Claudia: *glares* I hate you! You nearly gave Casshern away to that cat-loving bastard!**

**Casshern: MEOW! (Translation: I hate you too!)**

**William: Lady Claudia, please refrain from using such language in front of our dear readers.**

**Raychaell: Now you know why I rated this fanfic 'T'… Anyways, Dia, do us all a favour and read out the disclaimer!**

**Claudia: Not gonna do it. Will, you do it.**

**Raychaell: If you don't do it, I'll give Casshern away…**

**Claudia: FINE! Raychaell Dionzeros does not own Black Butler or its characters, only Casshern, Will and I!**

**Raychaell: YAY! Let's get on with it! And before I forget, this chapter is dedicated to my dearest sister, Yvonne! Thanks for your review and support!**

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><p>"Dia, it's time to wake up." The gentle voice roused Claudia from a pleasant dream. Claudia yawned drowsily before snuggling further into the soft blankets. She had stayed up late last night thinking about the case that she was to work on with the Watchdog whom she knew without a doubt was Ciel. By the time she had fallen sleep, it had been close to midnight, therefore she felt so tired.<p>

"Claudia, wake up. It's time for your breakfast." The gentle yet insistent voice, which could only belong to Will, said again.

"Just a few more minutes." She mumbled face first into the pillows. She was just beginning to fall asleep again when William whipped the blankets off her, making her yelp in surprise as she shivered in her thin nightgown due to the cold air from the air conditioner.

"HEY! Not fair William! I told you already, just a few more minutes!" Claudia whined while hugging the pillows to her. William merely observed her through his glasses with that patient gaze of his. He was used to Claudia's whining every morning and had learned that her 'just a few more minutes' meant, at most, half an hour. Therefore he ignored her and set about opening the windows while a half awake Claudia trudged to the connecting bathroom to wash up and change for breakfast.

She stepped out of the bathroom in her daily attire, which was a white long sleeved shirt with a red vest on top. Dark blue jeans that were artfully faded at the knees and black combat boots completed the look. She still wore her black choker necklace with the golden locket dangling from the strap. She had managed to brush out the tangles in her long black hair and tied it back into a simple ponytail. But for some reason, Claudia felt unsatisfied till she spotted a pair of black fingerless gloves on her bedside drawer. She quickly swooped down towards it, and pulling the gloves on, she examined herself in the mirror. Hair was neat, shirt untucked – wait, she had forgotten her favourite rose hairpin. She went back to her bedside drawer and sorted through the top drawer before spotting it and clipping it to her fringe. She examined herself in the mirror again. _Perfect_, she thought to herself, before hurrying out of her room only to stop at the door as she realised something.

William, who was straightening Claudia's bed, straightened at the comical sight of his mistress frozen at the door, head cocked to the side as she tried to recall what she had forgotten. "Anything wrong, my Lady?" He enquired. Claudia spoke after a long silence.

"William, I seem to have forgotten Casshern in my haste. Where is he?"

"Ah, he is out in the gardens chasing butterflies." Claudia gave way to a relieved smile at his answer before dashing out into the hall. She passed her servants, giving them the occasional greeting as she slid down the marble banisters into the main hall, which was decorated in its usual glory of red, black and purple. Once she slid to the first floor, she jumped down and ran to the back where the kitchens were. As usual, it was full of bustling chefs as orders were shouted and the occasional curse was let out when a junior cook made a mistake in his or her cooking. After a few minutes of discreet scouting, she found her target. It was a plate covered with a silver dome. The silverware was yet to be set in place on the tray upon which the plate was but Claudia didn't mind as she moved silently with ease through the kitchen to reach her goal. _Nearly, nearly there…_ she thought to herself as her expectant fingers came close enough to grab the tray…

Only to be snatched back a split second before the kitchen knife flew through the air to bury itself, blade first, into the wooden table. "Awww… But I was so close!" She whined. A chuckle sounded through the air as the knife thrower came out of the crowd of bustling chefs and servants.

"Nice try, Lady Claudia, but nothing moves or breathes in my kitchen without me noticing." The voice belonged to a middle aged man who wore a white food stained apron over his chef's attire. His black hair was greying slightly in a few places but the eyes and smiles never faded.

Claudia beamed up at the chef and hugged him tightly. "Hi Isaiah! I know you notice everything but you can't blame a girl for trying, can you?" Brown eyes that were covered with a white film over the irises blinked and looked down onto Claudia. The blind chef laughed again and petted her head.

"I can never blame you for trying, Lady Claudia. After all, it can't be helped that I know this kitchen so well that I can walk in it without my sight and not bump into anything. Then again, maybe one day you'll be able to surprise me and steal your breakfast. Now shoo! Go to the dining hall because I've got a special surprise waiting for you." Claudia brightened at this, and with one final hug goodbye, she dashed out of the kitchen and headed straight for the dining hall, only to duck in time for a rubber ball to pass over her head from behind.

Speeding up again, Claudia laughed and called back without slowing her run. "No way you'll get me, Alan! I saw it coming a mile away!"

Another voice answered in an equally loud voice. "I'll get you soon enough, Lady Claudia, and that ball came from the back, not your front so you couldn't have seen it!" She couldn't help but laugh out loud at the reply. Without bothering Alan with useless responses, Claudia sped up and finally reached the dining hall where William awaited behind her seat when she threw open the doors. William smiled at her flushed appearance and sparkling eyes as she slowed down into a steady stride as she crossed the room to the other end of the hall where her seat was. She slipped into the high backed chair as soon as she reached it and surveyed the room. A glass chandelier hung from the ceiling while light streamed in from the large window behind her. Smaller chairs were pushed in under the long white clothed table while vases of roses were placed at regular intervals on the table. But she ignored all those as she looked down eagerly on the silver-domed plate where her breakfast awaited. Claudia nodded towards Will who uncovered the plate to reveal her favourite meal, bacon and scrambled eggs.

Claudia gave way to a delighted squeal and quickly picked up her knife and fork to dig deep into her meal. The bacon was cooked to a tender crisp while the scrambled eggs, once sprinkled with pepper, tasted delicious. Claudia quickly finished her meal in record time and began to wipe her mouth clean of any food. Once she was finished, she awaited William to start serving her drink. William smiled again as he lifted the teapot from the breakfast trolley and, setting out a tea cup for Claudia, began pouring the clear rose red liquid tea into her cup.

"Today, we have Rose Hip tea for breakfast drinking, and after breakfast, you have English lessons with Mrs Pierce at nine in the morning. At eleven, there is knife-throwing lessons with Isaiah, lunch at twelve. At one in the afternoon, you have a meeting with the head of the science department to evaluate the damage caused during yesterday's mishap. At two, there is taekwondo training with Mr Koh and weapons handling with Mr Plummer at five. Seven PM is dinner time and after dinner you have some free time to yourself up to ten which is bedtime." He spoke as he poured the tea into the cup and watched his mistress frown thoughtfully to herself in deep thought.

She spoke at last after he finished the tea pouring. "Has there been any reply from Rouge about the case?"

William nodded his head. "Yes, Dia, but he says that he has no leads as of yet. The only common factor in this is, he says, all the missing are able bodied and at the peak of health. Other than that, he has no clue. He suggests that you bring forward the meeting with the Watchdog since you know who he is and Rouge wants to meet his rival face to face."

Claudia gave way to a snort at the last sentence, but she wasn't too surprised. After all, Rouge had always liked face-to-face meetings. She sighed and raised her cup, sipping carefully at the hot liquid. After finishing her drink, she rose from her seat gracefully and stretched languidly. _Time to start my day properly_, she thought to herself before moving out of her seat towards her next lesson.

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><p>Meanwhile, in a mansion far away, Ciel leaned back into his seat with a frown and a sigh. He sipped his Earl Grey tea but his gaze never left the computer screen from which he studied the information he had found so far. He had moved back into his old mansion after centuries of wandering and the best thing about it was that it was still in relatively good condition, which meant he need not spend much on repairs. He had the mansion renovated too so that he could access the Internet from the countryside.<p>

The Internet was one of the wonders of the 21st century, for it meant that he need not spend much time outside in London trying to find more information while it was just one click away. His only grievance with it was that not all the information he found was true, while some were so obscure that he spent ages chasing false leads till he found the information he wanted. Now he could feel a headache coming on as he studied the screen. From what he had found out so far, all of Claudia was exactly who she was supposed to be.

Claudia Darius had been born with above average IQ level of 130. At the age of three she could already walk and speak clear sentences. Adults who underestimated her were treated to a long lecture about how one shouldn't judge a person by their looks. Even as a child, she was a beauty and turned heads everywhere. She had led a happy childhood till her twelfth birthday. A few weeks before her birthday, her parents were killed in a fire while staying at their townhouse. The only reason Claudia survived was because she had stayed at the main mansion due to a sudden bout of flu. The police launched an investigation, and quickly found a suspect, but due to insufficient evidence, the suspect was released. Everyone pitied the young child, and remarked that it was a pity that the Lord and Lady Darius were dead, for they had been such a wonderful couple with their only child Claudia. Then a month after her twelfth birthday, Lady Claudia Darius re- emerged into society with a dark clad butler by her side. Lady Claudia set about restoring her family name and reputation. She also restored the family finances and introduced the Premier Red Rose to the world. The new breed of rose sparked worldwide attention and experts who examined the rose reported that the rose was indeed, a new, never seen before breed. English nobility were the first to get these roses before Darius Enterprises sold it to the rest of the world. Therefore, the Darius family became famous thanks to Lady Claudia's latest product.

Ciel still felt confused. Sure, he knew that Claudia was as intelligent as he was, but then something about the facts he read bugged him. It was as if he was missing something. Rubbing his temples, he decided to get a second opinion. "Sebastian," Ciel called. Sebastian was immediately at his door, opening it with a query.

"You called for me, my Lord?" Sebastian asked.

"Yes, I want you to read this document and tell me what you think." Ciel ordered as he turned the screen towards the older demon. Sebastian complied, and standing in front of the desk, he began to read Ciel's findings. A few seconds later, Sebastian spoke.

"My Lord, the date that Lady Darius re emerged into society matches the date Rouge began his hold In the Underworld." Ciel's eye widened at this and he immediately spun the screen back towards himself. Scanning it, he smacked his forehead.

"Of course! So that's why I thought I was missing something!" Ciel said out loud in his anger. "It can't be a coincidence that the very day Claudia emerged into society on the very day we learned about Rouge beginning to take over. They must be connected somehow. Sebastian, this is an order. I want you to spy on the Darius house and find out everything you can about their connection with Rouge." Sebastian had straightened at the command, and knelt down as soon he heard the order.

"Yes, my Lord," Sebastian replied before he left the mansion in his animal form to fulfil the command.

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><p>Sebastian had flown far in search of the Darius manor, and immediately knew that he had found it once he saw the multiple roses that decorated the grounds. Perching on a nearby tree, Sebastian observed as the household went about its duties. From the branch he perched on he could see a large French window that had its curtains pulled to the sides. Then he saw Lady Darius. She was beautiful in the moonlight, her beauty apparent in the moonlight. If he weren't bound to Ciel, he would have devoured her soul right there and then for he could scent her even from the tree.<p>

_Where is Casshern anyway _Sebastian thought to himself for he had been looking forward to meeting the magnificent cat with his regal air and emerald gaze that saw everything. Then a soft 'meow' was heard, and he saw Casshern leapt into his mistress lap, lowering his head for a scratch. Lady Darius complied and absent-mindedly scratched his head while scanning the trees for some reason or another. Then she gave way to a sudden smirk the moment she spotted him. Rising gracefully, she stopped scratching Casshern and placed him on the table, ignoring the cat's protest. She threw open the windows and came out onto the balcony outside her window, still dressed in her day attire.

_She shouldn't be able to see me, should she? After all, I look like an ordinary raven that's all so why is she staring at me? _Sebastian's thoughts raced with confusion. She suddenly called out, her eyes still fixed on him.

"Mr Sebastian Michaelis, if you wanted to know more about me, you should have just come to the front door where I can give you what your master ordered you to find out." Sebastian nearly lost his balance in his surprise. _She can see me?_ He thought in shock as he hastily regained his balance. She continued looking straight at him until he flew towards the front door as she had said. Taking on his human form, he was just about to knock on the large doors when none other than William opened the doors from the inside.

"Lady Claudia awaits you in her study, Mr Michaelis. Follow me." With that, William turned and led him into the manor. Sebastian's eyes roamed the place, noticing the human servants who gave him suspicious gazes from the shadows. He also noticed the multiple portraits, which decorated the hall. He spotted one of the former Lord and Lady Darius. Lady Claudia had her parents' beauty all right for he saw her amethyst eyes in Lord Darius, and her long black hair in Lady Darius. Before Sebastian could comment, they had already left the main hall and William led the way up the grand staircase and took a left turn. He was led through another corridor before William stopped at a door.

Knocking lightly, William called out, "Lady Claudia, Mr Michaelis is here. May we come in?"

Claudia's muffled voice replied, "Enter!" William complied and opened the doors to reveal a room that was lit by an overhead light. A mahogany bookshelf could be seen on the left of the room, while the wooden floor was covered by a lush red carpet. A study desk was on the other side of the room was neatly organised while a leather high backed swivel chair faced the large window on the other side of the room. Upon hearing their entry, the chair turned to reveal Lady Claudia in the same attire he had seen in a few minutes ago.

William paused in the middle of the room while Sebastian continued till he reached the desk. Lady Claudia greeted him with a smile. "Hello there, Mr Michaelis. I know what you want, so take this folder and invitation with you, would you?" She threw said items towards his head and observed him quietly as he quickly caught the items with his demon reflexes before they could hit him.

"Just as I suspected. " he heard Lady Claudia murmur to herself as she watched him.

"If that is all, Lady Claudia?" Sebastian enquired politely. At her nod, William escorted him out of the manor. From there, Sebastian ran back towards the Phantomhive estate with the two items secure beneath his jacket.

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><p>Ciel frowned as he listened to Sebastian's report about his unusual visit to Claudia. "So you mean to say, she knew you were spying on her despite you being careful to conceal your presence? But how is that even possible? I mean, you <em>were <em>in your animal form, weren't you?"

Sebastian bristled at the last comment and replied impassively, "Of course I did, Young Master. I was also hidden in the shadows so there was no way she could have seen me, unless she was not quite human."

"Your point being…?"

"Remember what I told you about her aura? She and her butler share a somewhat similar aura, and both of them have delectable souls, but for some reason or another, no demon has ever been near them, and that in itself is a rare occurrence." Ciel closed his eyes wearily; this new case and his mysterious future allies were a huge mystery that kept bothering him and it wasn't helping him any slightest that Claudia was not who she seemed to be. When will life ever get any easier for him?

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><p>Meanwhile, back at Claudia's manor, Claudia was seated alone in her study and busy talking with another person on Skype.<p>

"And so I told him, if you want it, you might as well have asked me and I'll give it to you straight away! He was so surprised but he never said anything. After all, that poor demon still can't over get over the fact that I found him in his animal form. Things are too easy sometimes, that's why I miss your visits, Rouge." Claudia said eagerly while the other person on the line, who was none other than Rouge himself, just smiled patiently at his friend's eager yet wistful words.

"I know," Rouge replied, "but you know very well that this is for the best until next month. But what I really want to ask you is, is Phantomhive falling for the bait?"

At this, Claudia straightened, and her playful mood disappeared. She replied with a smirk. "Yes, he is. I've already managed plant a seed in his mind, so that the moment I will it, he will be ours to control. However, " the smirk was instantly replaced by a serious expression, "There's a slim chance that he will resist me seeing as to how he's a demon as well, and I had to keep eye contact with him to control him and subtly erase his will to resist." Rouge grimaced in response, and while his grey mask hid the upper half of his face, it didn't hide the determination in his next words.

"We can do this, Red. We've gone too far to stop now, and we're also on a case, so we can't forget our priorities. I've already gotten my most loyal men to search for more leads, but I doubt they'll find much." Rouge said, using his private nickname for Claudia, which was inspired by Claudia's title as the Crimson Rose. He ran a hand through his already messy black hair in frustration.

Claudia sighed and looked at her best friend. Her next words betrayed her true feelings. "Black," she whispered softly, using her personal nickname for him, which was also inspired by his other title as the one and only, Black Rose. "I'm scared, and so lonely. Everyday, I find myself wishing that Mom and Dad were still alive, and that the Underworld is merely a nightmare that will never happen. I also wish that we were together again and that we would run throughout the mansion with Will and Jade chasing after us, and everyone is so much happier. I also wish that at the end of the day, we would curl up in bed together, whisper stories to each other, and sleep holding hands." Jade was Rouge's personal bodyguard and advisor. The older woman always had a soft streak for both Claudia and Rouge, and always teased Will, who was always shy around her, making both Claudia and Rouge suspect that she was in love with Will.

Rouge laughed wistfully before replying. "Yea, I miss the old life too, but we must remember. Our peaceful lives were ruined by that bastard Lord, so we must get revenge by making sure he suffers the same pain we went through when we lost our childhoods to his greedy hands." At this sentence, both of them gave way to identical soft snarls of rage at the memory of their peaceful lives lost thanks to their enemy. Then the anger faded away only to be replaced with sorrow from Claudia.

"I still miss you, a lot, a lot, a lot. I wish you were here already." Claudia spoke sadly, tears running silently down her cheeks. Rouge's anger faded at the sight of her tears and he placed a hand on his side of the screen, wishing that he could reach through and touch her.

"Don't cry, Red. I'm almost done here anyway so once I've settled my business here, I'll come to you quickly and sleep with you in the same bed just like when we were kids." Rouge said softly, trying to comfort her. Claudia hastily scrubbed her face at the mention of tears and placed her right hand on top of his, mirroring him. Both sighed in sorrow at the distance separating them before meeting the other's gaze. Rouge broke the silence first with a whispered vow that Claudia was quick to follow.

"We swear upon our titles as the Crimson and Black Roses that we will destroy our enemies with our Thorns, and make them regret the day they hurt us." The vow, though short, was full of determination and one the two friends were determined to fulfil. After another long silence, Rouge smiled sadly before saying goodbye and signing off. When the screen went blank, Claudia leaned back into her chair with a long sigh before whispering to herself.

"Soon. Soon we will be together again, Rouge, my friend."

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><p><strong>Raychaell: And chapter 3 is done! Review please!<strong>

**Claudia: *grumble* I can't believe I cried. In front of a guy too!**

**Rouge: *pats Claudia's back* It's all right, Red. I don't mind it.**

**Raychaell: Anyways, I may not be able to update this Sunday, so sorry my dear readers! Endure with me all right? You know what to do. REVIEW.**


	4. A Meeting Gone Wrong

**Raychaell: Chapter 4 is here at last! Look at me! I'm on a roll!**

**Claudia: *rolls eyes* You're being silly again, Raych.**

**Raychaell: Aw shut up. You're just upset that I made you into a crybaby in front of Rouge.**

**Claudia: *blush* Sh - shut- Shut up! If I do the disclaimer, will you stop talking about that idiotic crying jag?**  
><strong>Raychaell: Sure!<strong>

**Claudia: *monotone* Raychaell doesn't own Black Butler. Only the OCs.**

**Raychaell: Yup! And I'll be dedicating my next chapters to the first four reviewers, so if you want me to mention you, REVIEW!**

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><p>Ciel studied the files Sebastian had received from Claudia and found himself increasingly confused and disturbed with every word he read. From what he read, the Darius family had not always been so powerful.<p>

Back in the 17th century, the Darius family had been poor and minor nobles well known for their rose breeding then. But as time went on, the Underworld was starting to grow, and other countries were looking at the Underworld in a bid to take control of England from there. This was before the Queen's Dog and Spider had been introduced. (A/N: I have no idea when the Dog and Spider were created, so I'll just assume that it was long before Ciel's time and after the Roses.)

Knowing that this would be beyond the capabilities of the police, her Majesty decided to ask the Darius house for help since they had connections in the Underworld. The Darius household complied and started searching for the traitors. They eventually found and killed or destroyed them. During that time, those in the Underworld who knew of the Darius household by their rose breeding trade called them the Rose, and the killers loyal to the Darius house, Thorns. Therefore the Queen decided to give the title of the Queen's Rose to the Darius house.

However, the Darius house soon fell back into the shadows as the Dog and Spider were created and gained more reputation than them. The Queen's Rose became nothing more than a silly story, and something to be told after too many rounds of drinks. Still, the Darius house continued their operations while deep into the shadows, and continued serving the Queen until, in the late 18th century, they found out that Queen Victoria was connected to a case of mysterious kidnapping and murders the Rose was investigating. In an attempt to silence them, Queen Victoria framed them with the murder of a noble connected to the case. The head of the Darius household then died, and the responsibility of restoring the name of Darius soon fell back to Lord Damien, the brother of the deceased Darius head. Seeing as to how the Queen's Dog and Spider, who had been assigned the task of hunting down the supposed rouge noble, Lord Damien decided that the title of Rose should be split, since the responsibilities of the Rose was to hunt down both rouge nobles and malcontents in the Underworld.

From his decision, the Crimson and Black Rose emerged. The Crimson Rose's responsibility was the London social society, while the Black Rose was to watch and control the Underworld. The titles were given to Lord Damien's two teenage children, Lord Jackson and Lady Alicia. Lady Alicia, with her great beauty, took on the title of the Crimson Rose, while her twin brother became the Black Rose. This decision, while done in secret, saved their family since the Dog and Spider could not agree as to which was the true Rose they were hunting down. Ever since that day, the Darius house held no trust for the future Queens, even after the next Queen, upon learning the grievous sin that was done against the Darius house, cleared their name and alleviated their ranks, even compensating them generously in apology.

The titles of Crimson and Black Roses, or Thorn for their loyal guards, remained in use, and the Darius house continued giving the responsibilities of the Roses to siblings or twins. No one took dual responsibilities.

Ciel closed his eyes briefly to alleviate the headache he had gotten reading the files. He thought aloud to himself. "So if Claudia is the Crimson Rose, who on Earth is the Black Rose?" A knock on his study door made him open his eyes.

"Young Master, may I come in?" Sebastian asked. Ciel gave way to a weary sigh and called out.

"Enter." Sebastian complied and entered the study. He observed the image of his young master leaning tiredly back in the chair, and the files containing details about the history of the Darius family scattered messily on the desk.

"Anything wrong, my Lord?" he queried. Ciel shook his head firmly before picking up the envelope containing the invitation from Claudia. Taking out the invitation, he read it again for the third time. It read:

'Ciel Phantomhive,

You are invited to my manor where I will tell you everything you need to know, and also meet my best friend, Rouge, in the flesh. Simply come and visit me tomorrow afternoon and we will await you.

Signed,

Claudia Darius. '

Below her name were details on the location of her manor, and how to reach it by car. Ciel studied it again, before he was forced to conclude that there was no hidden message whatsoever, except for the fact the Rouge, his rival, was Claudia's best friend! What in the world is going on?

Sebastian merely stood in the room, awaiting his master's decision. After a few more minutes of pondering, Ciel spoke at last, "Sebastian, prepare for a trip to the Darius estate. It's time we had a face to face meeting." Hearing the order, Sebastian bowed and left the room to make the necessary preparations.

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><p>Hours later, Ciel stepped out of his car and blinked steadily to allow his eye to adjust to the bright afternoon sun while staring at the Darius manor with something akin to awe. It was two times larger than his mansion, and while red rose bushes decorated the right side of the driveway, black rose bushes were seen on the left. There was a grand fountain bubbling away in front of the manor, but Ciel only had eyes for the single figure leaning against one of the pillars in the front porch. His eye narrowed in recognition of the boy who was sucking away on a lollipop.<p>

Wavy black hair was tied back into a short ponytail, while a silver - grey mask with black markings on it hid the upper features of the fourteen to fifteen year old boy. He wore a black leather jacket over a white long sleeved collared shirt. Dark blue jeans covered his legs and scruffy black boots that showed signs of long use could be seen as well. Upon seeing him, the boy, who could only be Rouge himself, took the lollipop out of his mouth and greeted Ciel cheerfully as he straightened and stepped out of the shadows.

"Ah, I was wondering when you would get here, Earl Phantomhive. Or should I say, Watchdog?" At the mention of his title, Ciel's fist clenched at this, and he ignored Sebastian's warning hand on his shoulder, shaking it off as he stalked forward bent on confronting Rouge about his mysterious connection with Claudia.

Before he could reach Rouge though, another figure stepped into his path. Ciel raised his head ready to yell at Sebastian for interfering, but froze instead to see an older woman in front of him. She had dark brown hair that was tied back into a spiky ponytail with a jade bangle above the hair tie, green eyes the same shade as the bangle and a scowl on her face as she glared at him. She was simply dressed in an outfit similar to Rouge's, except her jacket was closed and she wore red ankle boots with white laces instead.

Before she could say a word however, there was the sound of running feet and the great doors burst open to reveal Claudia who was dressed in a long white skirt with a neck-high collar and long sleeves with red lining a black ruffled skirt, black leggings that reached to her mid thighs and black buckle boots. There was a red ruffle on her shirt that was held on by a silver diamond button with circular silver buttons going down her shirt.

With a delighted expression, she ignored the rest as she headed straight for Rouge who had his arms open and a delighted smile on his face. "Rouge!" Claudia shouted even as she hugged him tightly. Rouge held her and swung around in circles with Claudia clinging on. Watching her, Ciel realized that there were tears on her face and the blissful smile on her face was different from the one he had seen before. _She's really happy with Rouge_, Ciel mused to himself as he watched the happy couple. Meanwhile, William and Casshern the cat watched on with similar amused gazes from the door.

"Why didn't you tell me you had been here for more than an hour? I missed you so much, you know?" Claudia said with a tearful gaze. Rouge simply buried his face into her hair in reply. The blissful scene lasted for more than a minute before William cleared his throat meaningfully. Claudia then realized that she was clinging on to Rouge in a way that was not fit for public. Blushing, she nudged him to set her down. He complied with a smile.

Once Claudia was on the ground, she stepped forward with her hand still in Rouge's. Her blissful smile was replaced by a smirk as she addressed Ciel and Sebastian. "It's nice to see you accepted my invitation, Ciel, Mr. Michaelis. And here I was wondering if you would ever come. Now come in, and all your questions will be answered."

Ciel and Sebastian exchanged wary looks before entering the mansion, while Claudia tugged Rouge along and the older woman followed just a few steps behind the happy couple. William held the door open while Casshern meowed a greeting to everyone and proceeded to rub his head against Rouge's ankle when he stepped in, making Rouge laugh and bend down to scratch the cat as Sebastian, who had gone into a cat loving frenzy at the sight of Casshern, looked on with a jealous gaze.

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><p>William quietly led the way as he took them through a route from the one Sebastian had been taken from his last visit. Behind him, Claudia and Rouge chatted away eagerly, while the older woman looked on with an amused gaze. Casshern the cat had dropped back and resigned himself to a scratching from a delighted Sebastian since the cat had made the mistake of wandering too close to the older demon who had immediately picked him up and started cooing to poor Casshern. Ciel had merely shook his head and face palmed his annoyance at the older demon.<p>

When they reached a set of double doors at the end of the passageway they were being led through, Claudia stopped her conversation and turned her head back towards Ciel with a grin that was also on Rouge's face. Then in eerie unison with Rouge, she said, "Enter, Earl Phantomhive, and all your questions shall be answered."

However, they had barely finished when there a loud distant crash was heard and Claudia froze, her head cocked as her eyes went distant. Rouge, who still clutched her hand, was frozen in the same position too. William stepped forward in his concern. "Milady, what's going on?"

The woman placed a hand on William's shoulder. "Something's wrong. I've seen this before. They act this way when there's serious trouble."

William glanced back at her, frustration and anger plain on his face. "I know that, Jade. I've seen this before but never this long. It usually occurs for few seconds only in Dia's case." In William's frustration, he let slip Claudia's nickname.

Ciel stepped forward then, mouth opening to demand what was going on when there was a sudden blackout and the whole place went pitch black. Ciel and Sebastian still could see thanks to their demon eyesight, but things were still murky and hard to make out. Then there was a sudden shout, not out loud, but _inside Ciel's head_. The voice was full of authority and shouted:

"**_GET DOWN!_**"

Ciel instantly obeyed, and just in time too, for he heard a high pitched whistle as a bullet passed over his head then a thump as it buried itself in the wall beside him. Ciel risked a glance at Sebastian, and the shocked expression on his butler's face told him that he had heard the voice too. Then there was a sudden frightened yowl from Casshern then Ciel smelled something oddly familiar in the air. He took in a cautious sniff, and instantly recognized the smell. "SLEEPING GAS!" He yelled out loud. Then he saw vague masked figures above him. They wore business suits and had gas masks over their faces, making it impossible to see any facial features. They carried pistols with silencers attached to the muzzles and went about the front, shining torches in their path.

Ciel and Sebastian stealthily got up then. It was now obvious to them that the meeting had gone wrong and there were intruders in the manor. Silently lifting his eye patch, Ciel whispered, "Get rid of them, Sebastian." The pentagram on his eye glowed even as Ciel saw the older demon nod silently in response before moving forwards. While Sebastian went forth to get rid of the intruders, Ciel moved forward too, in search of Claudia and the rest. The sleeping gas was now thick in the air, and Ciel held his breath to avoid passing out.

He soon spotted Jade's unconscious form not far from him. William was close by too, and looked semi conscious. As soon as Ciel reached them however, the blonde man slumped forwards, another victim to the sleeping gas. Ciel however was silently impressed. He knew that ordinary humans would have passed out long ago, but seeing William still conscious only served to drive home Sebastian's theory about William being inhuman. Ciel, seeing an intruder close by, quickly picked up both Jade and William. Thanks to his demon strength and speed, it was of no trouble to him to quickly pick up both of them and dash away from the intruder. Ciel, with Jade and William on his shoulders, quickly dashed down the corridor till he was a safe distance away. Once he took a cautious sniff to judge the air clean of any gas, Ciel gently set them down and propped them up against the wall before going back to find Claudia and Rouge.

A selfish part of him wanted to leave Rouge behind to get killed, but the sensible part of him knew that if Rouge died because of Ciel, the Crimson Rose would not be his ally and he needed her help to solve the case. Therefore, when he found the unconscious form of Rouge slumped against the wall, he stepped forwards to grab him only to pause at the realization that something was wrong. Then he saw and smelt it. The hand with which Rouge had held Claudia was covered in blood, and from the size of the gaping wound, Ciel knew that it was bad. Not only that, Claudia was missing. He guessed that Rouge had been holding Claudia's hand tightly even when he was unconscious, and whoever had taken Claudia away had forcibly separated them since he did not want Rouge. Then Sebastian was in front of him and wrapping a handkerchief around Rouge's hand to stop the bleeding while Ciel stood frozen in shock at the sight of the blood.

"Sebastian," Ciel spoke at last, "are the intruders dealt with?" Sebastian nodded in confirmation as he lifted Rouge's unconscious form and cradled him.

"Where are the rest, Young Master? I've found Casshern and he's in my jacket, sleeping but there's no sign of Lady Claudia anywhere." Sebastian asked.

Ciel simply replied even as he led the way to the corridor he had left Jade and William in. "I've moved them somewhere safe, and Claudia is missing but did you find out anything from the intruders?"

"None at all, Young Master. They were all mercenaries, hired to storm the place as a distraction, while someone else must have taken Lady Claudia away during the confusion." Sebastian answered. They eventually found William coming around with a groan even as he rubbed a bruise on his forehead, which he must have gotten during his fall.

Upon spotting them with the injured Rouge still in Sebastian's arms, his eyes widened as he asked worriedly, "What happened to Master Rouge? And where's Lady Claudia?"

Ciel hesitated briefly before giving an honest answer. " Rouge was hurt by someone who wanted to separate them, and Claudia has gone missing."

"**WHAT?**" William leaped to his feet at the last statement, only to place a hand on the wall as he struggled to regain his balance. Next to him, Jade was beginning to wake.

With a tortured gaze on Ciel and Sebastian, he pleaded. "Please tell me you're kidding. Please! Where is my Dia?"

Ciel shook his head slightly, but he was confused over William's use of Claudia's name. _Sebastian had been right in describing William of being possessive of his mistress after all_, Ciel thought to himself as he watched a fully awake Jade snatch the now semi conscious Rouge from an unprotesting Sebastian, checking him over with an expert gaze for any other injuries. Meanwhile William merely sank to the ground, kneeling over with his hands flat on the ground as he mumbled to himself in shock.

"I've failed Lady Claudia. I swore to protect her, but she - she's been _kidnapped. Lady Claudia has been kidnapped._"

* * *

><p><strong>Raychaell: Cliffhanger!<strong>

**Rouge and William: YOU LET CLAUDIA GET KIDNAPPED?**

**Raychaell: Hey Rouge, aren't you supposed to be weak from blood loss?**

**Rouge: I still am!**

**Jade: Master Rouge, you're supposed to be resting.**

**Raychaell: Yea, or else you may lose that hand of yours to infection. Anyways, I hope you like the ending! Review please!**


	5. An Old Enemy and Torture

**Raychaell: All right, my dear readers! Since pitiful me hasn't received any new reviews T^T, I'll just go straight into the story. Warning: VIOLENCE AND SWEARING IN THIS CHAPTER!**

**William: Will Lady Claudia be safe then?**

**Raychaell: Don't worry, she will! And before I forget, I do not own Black Butler, only my own OCs.**

_Thoughts – Italics_

"_Mind speaking"_

"Normal conversation"

* * *

><p>Claudia awoke with a small muffled groan. Her head hurt and she could sense that something was wrong. She was lying on a hard surface, which chilled the patches of bare skin that were in contact with the hard surface. Her arms were bent back behind her and her wrists were bound together with a cold and sticky material. Her ankles were bound too, with the same material. <em>Must be masking tape<em>, she thought. When she tried to raise her arms over her head, she couldn't do it. Instead, it remained stubbornly behind her. It was then Claudia felt the weight on her arms. _They must have bound my arms to my sides as well, _she realized. Her legs were in the same state, bound together and unable to pull apart. She also felt something soft and cool on her face. When she tried to open her eyes, she saw nothing but blackness. With the disgusting taste of something, possibly fabric, in her mouth that was impossible to spit out, Claudia came to the conclusion that she had been bound, gagged and blindfolded.

_Whoever gagged me must be a professional,_ Claudia decided, for the fabric weighed down on her tongue, making speech impossible. When she tried to reach out to the minds for any possible humans in her vicinity, her mind went all woolly instead. Thinking was hard to do, and her senses were a little dull. She cursed mentally, for she now knew that she was kidnapped, and not by any ordinary person at all. _Whoever did this knew that I was a telepath_, Claudia thought furiously. She decided to use her other senses.

She sensed movement; a van possibly, and smelled cigarette smoke, her kidnapper was a smoker. Sound of a conversation reached her ears, which could either mean her kidnapper had an accomplice or that he was talking on a phone. She gave way to a shiver suddenly and realized she felt cold. _Must be the air conditioner_, she mused to herself. In an effort to preserve some body heat, Claudia curled in a fetal position, which was the best she could do considering her current state. Then the vehicle came to a sudden stop, which sent the unprepared Claudia flying into another hard surface. _Owww…_ Claudia thought with a wince as she felt her back protest at the harsh treatment.

"I'm getting down to take a leak. Check on the girl, will ya?" A gruff voice suddenly spoke. _Judging from the pitch, a male_ Claudia thought to herself. And he had a partner as well, for she suddenly heard the scraping of boots against gravel and a huff as someone opened a door. There was also the sound of someone taking a leak. Then her blindfold was yanked down, making Claudia's eyes water as her eyes tried to adjust to the sudden light.

The moment her vision cleared, Claudia glared at the man who was currently staring at her with an amused gaze. He had a salt and pepper beard, and dirty brown eyes that mocked her helpless state even as she glared. He smelled of cigarette smoke and was bald. He hooted in laughter upon seeing her glare, and turned his head back to address his unseen partner.

"Hey Douglas, she's awake and all riled up! She looks just like a pretty little vixen with those eyes and looks of hers."

His partner called back. "Then tame the little bitch and show her who's boss!" Claudia's eyes widened at this, and her mind immediately came up with the worst possible scenario: rape. She tried to back away the best she could, only to give way to a silent yelp as she was yanked back by the roots of her hair. The man laughed at the fear in her eyes, and whispered to her.

"Don't worry about your virtue, little lassie. The boss said we could do what we want to you except touch your virtue, so you're safe with your virginity. Then again, he also said to beat you so as to tame you!"

With that, the man slapped her right cheek viciously. It brought unshed tears to her eyes but she continued glaring at him. At this, the man dragged her out of the vehicle by her hair and threw her down on to the ground. Claudia silently screamed as her shoulder jarred at the impact. The man just continued laughing as he kicked her several times while Claudia tried to curl up to protect her organs from serious damage. Then the kicking session finally stopped, making her sigh with relief as she had been close to fainting with the pain. Then it continued again without warning, this time with a ferocious intensity that made Claudia scream mentally for the pain to stop. Soon the pain overwhelmed her, and Claudia gratefully sank into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>When she awoke, she was aware of tremendous pain all over her body. It was at this time she became grateful for the gag for she was sure that she was close to screaming with the agony she currently felt. It took all of her will to concentrate and ignore the pain as she closed her eyes to concentrate better. When she opened her eyes again, the first thing she noticed was her missing blindfold. Apparently her kidnappers had not bothered replacing it, allowing her to see the interior of the vehicle clearly. Or at least, as clear as she could see out of her left eye while her right eye was swollen shut.<p>

Therefore she observed the stark white interior with a curious gaze, noting a few rolls of masking tape left abandoned near the hub of the left wheel and the strips of cloth that the rolls laid upon. From the looks of it, it was clearly a van, with its back windows heavily tinted to prevent anyone from seeing in. Turning on her back, Claudia was able to see a metal frame separating her and her captors who were too busy chatting away to realize she was looking at them. Despite her efforts to see the face of her captors, Claudia's helpless position meant she was unable to do so. And even if she could see them, the pain was returning and blurring her vision.

With a defeated air, Claudia curled up into a fetal position once more, not bothering to use her other ability seeing as to how much she hurt everywhere. Closing her eyes, she managed to nap for what seemed like a few seconds before she felt the van jerk to a sudden stop and hear doors slamming. Then a voice was heard. It belonged to the man who had reveled in her pain yesterday – or was it a few hours ago? She had no idea. Her sense of time was screwed after the kidnapping from her manor.

Thinking about her home brought around a fluttering sense of fear. Were her servants all right? What about William and Jade? And Rouge especially caused her more fear and worry for him as she vaguely remembered holding his hand tightly then struggling feebly as someone tried to separate them. Then she had felt sudden warmth on her hand, and the cold prick of a needle to her neck before everything went black.

Another voice was heard, snapping Claudia out of her trance. The voice clearly belonged to a male, but it did not belong to Douglas or her other kidnapper. Instead, for some reason or another, the voice sent chills down her spine and made her unexplainably mad upon hearing it. She shook off the strange feeling and forced herself to listen to the vaguely familiar voice.

"Is the girl inside?" The voice asked.

"Yes sir." Her unknown captor replied.

"Let me see her." There was the sound of footsteps towards her. Claudia quickly closed her eyes and faked sleep. She heard the back door open and a gasp of delight, before the voice spoke to the other two.

"I see you roughed her up a bit. Nothing against the rules I set, I hope?"

"Nope sir. We just taught her a small lesson on being silent that's all."

"Nothing too serious I hope."

"Just a few broken ribs and a possible concussion sir. Is that all right with you?"

"It's all right. She's going to get worse anyway when I break her."

"Good luck with that boss. That little lassie sure is feisty and hard to break."

"Don't worry. I have a plan for her that will break her quickly." At that, Claudia had to force herself from trembling with fear at the man's dark words. She forced herself to listen again.

"About the money…" Douglas began. Boss cut him short – she had decided to give him a nickname seeing as to how it was a pain to differentiate between the two unknowns.

"I have it right here." Boss must have shown Sadistic – which was the nickname she had given to her unknown captor since he had laughed at her pain – the money he paid to get the other two to kidnap her.

The money must have been enough to satisfy the two for she heard him say to someone else, most probably his minion. "You there, get her out of the van and bring her in. Make sure she's trussed up tightly because I do not want her to have any chance to escape. And before I forget, jab her with this too."

The minion complied and she felt the weight of the van shift as he got in. Then there was the cold prick of a needle again, making Claudia struggle feebly before everything went frustratingly black again.

* * *

><p>When she came around again for the third time, the first thing she saw was an all too familiar face looming right in front of her. She automatically recoiled, and spat out the first thing that came to mind. "You bastard! I should have known it was you all along, Lord Victor Bogart." This only served to make the sallow faced Lord laugh in her face but also made her realize her gag was gone.<p>

Reveling in her freedom of speech, Claudia proceeded to give him her opinion on the kidnapping. Needless to say, with her experience in the kitchens and also the occasional accidental curse from Rouge, her language was more colorful than what a normal fourteen-year-old girl should have. And Lord Bogart was not amused. A slap to her face cut short her rant painfully, giving Claudia the chance to re – examine her surroundings.

She was in some kind of room, with high roofs and blank walls, which had no windows. Strange men filled the room and surrounded her while she was seated on a straight-backed wooden chair, masking tape, again, binding her tightly to it. Her legs were still bound and the masking tape that was no longer covering her mouth was stuck to the side of her mouth instead. She tested her wrists hopefully only to get her hopes crushed as she found her wrists bound as tight as ever.

Now that she had deduced her location and status, she could no longer put off her hatred of looking into Bogart's face. He was once handsome, except years of greed and hatred had twisted his looks and made him ugly. Greasy black hair hung over his face in messy waves, and a pudgy nose and cruel black eyes gazed into her hatred filled amethyst eyes with a smug grin on his small mouth. His black and white business suit hung on him like a piece of dirty laundry and showed off his ample belly. Basically, Lord Victor Bogart was ugly and she hated him with all her guts.

After all, who could forgive the man who ruined her childhood when he burned down the townhouse her parents were in and left her orphaned all because he wanted her to marry his equally ugly and greedy son, who was thankfully not here. Bogart grinned at her and started his usual speech.

"Ah, Lady Darius, it's a great honor to have a great beauty like you here with me. The reason why I invited you here was because I wanted to prepare you first in time for your upcoming collaboration with my family and also, your future engagement and marriage to my son Ian! Isn't that great?" He said eagerly. Claudia only snorted and glared at him.

"No way in Hell will I ever marry or ally myself with uglies like you, Bogart. So why don't you take your plans and shove them up your big fat ass?" She sneered, earning her a punch to the jaw, which made her see stars for several seconds.

Bogart merely grinned at her again before crooning to her. "Oh, but you will, my dear girl. You see, I have some plans to break that mouth and feisty spirit of yours. Take a look at this collar and tell me if you recognize it."

Claudia's eyes widened at the sight of a black collar that had a small box on it. She recognized it all right. When she was thirteen, she had seen a collar like this on a show dog at one of the carnivals she attended. The poor dog had been shocked with it several times during rehearsals when he was either unresponsive or slow to obey his owner. The excessive use of the collar had ended in the dog being electrocuted to death and her swearing to never let another suffer the same fate. But it seemed now that she was going to get first hand experience on the dangers of the shock collar.

Trembling visibly, Claudia tried to reach out with her mind again, but it still all woolly and unresponsive to her needs. Bogart smirked at the fear in her eyes. "Scared now, are we, Lady Claudia? You know, when I saw this collar, I knew that it was just perfect for my needs since it means that I can use it and torture you till you beg for mercy and promise to obey me." He taunted while the other men remained silent but smirked at her fear.

"N – n – no no no nooo!" Yu can't use that **_thing _**on me! It's illegal!" Claudia tried to plead with him, only to have her words fall on deaf ears as the greedy Lord laughed at her distress. He began to attach the collar he held to her neck while two other men came forward with more collars to attach to her arms and legs. Once they were done, Bogart stepped back to enjoy the sight of her trembling form before him as he held the remote for the collars up before her in plain sight.

"See this remote? I've made it the master controller so that when I press this red button, you will get shocked by all five collars" He proceeded to demonstrate and watched in satisfaction as she screamed in agony as the high voltage spread all over her, causing her so much pain.

Claudia slumped forwards when the painful electrocution ended, semi conscious and barely aware of laughter in the room as they watched her in pain. _No more_, she thought wearily._ It hurts so goddamn much so stop itt!_ Claudia shrieked mentally and out loud when the button was pressed without warning. She continued screaming much longer before someone shoved her gag back in and taped her mouth shut, effectively shutting her up. But it still didn't stop Claudia from begging mentally for the pain to stop.

After what seemed like hours, the electrocution stopped and Claudia slumped forwards once more in extreme agony. It was getting hard to think around all the pain she was enduring but she soon saw something positive come out of the torture; her gift was back. Without further ado, even while she screamed in pain, she let out a mental call for help to the only person she knew could help her now.

**"_Help me Rouge! Answer me! ROUGGEEE!"_**

* * *

><p>Rouge was tired. The blood loss he had endured from the wound he received for holding on to Claudia made him dizzy and lightheaded. However, he continued sitting wearily in Claudia's private study, the one place all servants were avoiding upon learning of Claudia's kidnap.<p>

Right now, however, he was close to yelling at Ciel who was arguing with Will again about how they should proceed about finding Claudia while Jade, Sebastian and he watched wearily from the sidelines.

"I say we go out there again and search one more time! Lady Claudia's kidnappers would not have gone far, that I am sure of!" Will argued for what felt like the hundredth time. He had been blaming himself endlessly over her kidnap and was bent on finding her to resolve his guilt.

However Ciel had a different opinion. "No. We should remain here and plan carefully what we are going to do now that Claudia has been kidnapped. After all, for all we know, her kidnappers might contact us." Both sides glared at each other angrily, not willing to give way. Sighing, Rouge got up with the intent to stop the argument once and for all, only to freeze upon hearing a very familiar voice in his head.

"_Help me Rouge! Answer me! ROUGGEEE!"_

Rouge froze in shock to hear the pain and longing in Claudia's voice. Jade was the first to notice his frozen form since they were so attuned to each other, while Sebastian was close behind her in being a second later than Jade. "Master Rouge, what's wrong?" She asked in concern.

"Claudia." Was all he said, but it was enough to stop the argument as Will broke off from his argument to rush to Rouge, gripping his shoulders with an expression akin to shock.

"You can **_hear _**Claudia?" Will said, his tone half in shock, half in demand. Rouge nodded before putting up a hand to stop the barrage of questions that were starting.

"Everyone, **SHUSH**! Claudia is currently very weak and I'm having a hard time just listening to her when you guys are being so noisy!" At his sharp tone, everyone kept silent and merely stared at him, hope and worry in his or her eyes. Now that the room was silent, Rouge took a deep breath and carefully answered Claudia mentally.

"_Claudia, I'm here. Where are you?"_

"_It hurts it hurts it hurts!" _Claudia merely whimpered in response, her voice laced with pain as she unknowingly passed him her pain.

Rouge winced in response, and it took all his effort not to crumple right there and then as the full volume of the torture reached him. Inside his mind, Claudia screamed again as she was electrocuted. Her pain swept over him once more, and this time he screamed alongside her.

"**STOP ITT!**" Rouge howled in agony, his hands clutching the sides of his head even as he collapsed into Will's surprised arms.

"What's wrong?" Sebastian asked in worry, feeling disturbed at the sight of the normally cheerful or impassive Rouge in apparent agony. Jade was the one who explained.

"Master Rouge and Lady Claudia are telepaths, which means they can hear what others are thinking and send thoughts of their own into others' minds. Sometimes they can even control your mind if they want to. Right now, Lady Claudia is sending Master Rouge her pain, though whether it's intentional or accidental I'm not sure."

Rouge answered Jade's question. "It's unintentional. She has no idea she's sending me her pain, but – " Before Rouge could speak again, he gritted his teeth as a fresh wave of pain engulfed him.

"_Stop it, Red! You can't help yourself if you continue with this! Please tell me where you are! Please!" _Rouge shrieked mentally. Claudia must have heard, for her screams lessened to a small whimper.

"_I don't know. I have to check… Ok, I have something for you. I'm in some kind of wooden barn, which is black and has a gravel driveway outside. Wait, I have the location. Brace your mind for this." _As soon as Claudia finished speaking, a load of information was _dumped_ into his mind. He screwed his eyes shut as he felt the information start to overload his mind. A low whimper slid from his lips even as a nosebleed started.

"Tooo… muuchhh… Toooo… maanannnyy… Ssslloowww… Dddooowwnnn… " He found himself slurring. Then there was a hand, a cold hand to be exact, on his shoulder and another voice ghosted beside his left ear.

"Let me share the burden. Let_ us_ do it together." Ciel and Sebastian whispered together. Rouge complied, not that he could resist because by now he was way past any form of resistance. Without further ado, he linked their minds to his and Claudia, sharing what they knew with the two demons. Ciel and Sebastian gasped aloud in shock when they felt the link and information, but did not flinch away, merely tightening their hold.

After what felt like hours, all four collapsed, Claudia passing out since the effort of holding her pain at bay had been too much for her, Rouge staggering into Jade's waiting arms, while the other two merely collapsed onto a sofa. Closing his eyes, Rouge silently made one last connection to Claudia, passing on one last message before he fainted as well.

"_Soon, Red, soon. We'll come for you, so hang on for us and we'll destroy our enemies once more and show them what the true anger of the two Roses is. This I swear upon my title as the Black Rose and Rouge!"_

* * *

><p><strong>Raychaell: Aaand… It's done! Tada! Hope you loved it as much as I did!<strong>

**William: *mad* You told me Lady Claudia would be safe but she's badly hurt instead!**

**Raychaell: Oh shush it. Help Jade take care of Rouge instead.**

**William: Hmph.**

**Raychaell: Anyway… REVIEW! And all reviewers will get a bag of marshmallows each!**


	6. A Rescue and Surprising News

**Raychaell: And hello everyone here and welcome to my lovely story!**

**Rouge: Stop talking to yourself 'cause no one reviewed.**

**Raychaell: T^T I know! It's so pitiful to see that people don't like a story, which I've poured all my efforts into!**

**William: Would you please shush and get on with the story since I want to know if Lady Claudia is all right!**

**Raychaell: FINE! I do not own Black Butler, only the plot and my crazy and demented OCs!**

**William and Rouge: Whom are you calling crazy and demented?**

**Warning: Blood and violence! Some minor swearing as well.**

**And to dearest sister, here you go! A bag of marshmallows just for you *Hands over bag of marshmallows ***

_Thoughts – Italics_

"_Mind speaking"_

"Normal conversation"

* * *

><p>"Are we there yet?" Rouge asked again for what seemed the hundredth time that day ever since he woke up and immediately demanded that they set out to rescue Claudia. Will had been right behind him on that, but Jade, Sebastian and Ciel had their doubts. Jade doubted him because he was still a little weak from the information overload, while Sebastian thought that he was being too hasty. Ciel did not doubt him much, and the only reason he held back was because he was doubtful of Rouge's earnest need to rescue Claudia. To Ciel, Rouge and Claudia were pawns, albeit important pawns that were to be his future allies in solving the case the Queen had set for them.<p>

William was the one who replied him with all the patience he had. "We're not there yet, Master Rouge, so please stop asking." Rouge gritted his teeth in response. He had experienced almost all of Claudia's pain and from his small taste of it, he knew she wouldn't be able to last much longer unless they got to her in time, therefore his worry for her.

"Master Rouge, do not worry about Lady Claudia. I'm sure she'll be fine." Rouge snapped back to reality at the sound of Jade's voice through his Bluetooth earpiece. They had all agreed to wear the earpieces to allow easy communication between them all. Jade was currently riding a motorbike, a Yamaha 998cc YZF-R15 sport bike to be exact. The sleek black bike wove its way behind them silently and kept up with Sebastian, who was driving the car Ciel had arrived in, and also the very car William, Rouge and Ciel had piled into.

William currently sat in the front passenger seat while Ciel and Rouge took the back. Presently they were discussing about Claudia.

"So how did you meet Claudia in the first place?" Ciel queried, trying to get more information from his rival. Rouge merely sighed in response before replying.

"We were childhood friends." That was all Rouge cared to say about the subject. There was no way he was going to tell Ciel the truth until Claudia allowed it. That is, if she survives to give permission, the pessimistic part of him whispered. Rouge ignored the traitorous voice in his head. After all, he had endured listening to it during many dangerous situations.

Ciel meanwhile looked frustrated at the lack of information forthcoming from Rouge. How he wished his demon abilities included mind reading since it would make life easier for him! Rouge must have heard what Ciel was thinking, for he turned his head to glance at Ciel with an amused expression on his face, whispering, "Even if you could read minds, I can always make a mental shield for myself and black you out so, tough luck, _shorty_." With that last statement, Rouge went into a laughing fit.

William was the one who managed to stop Ciel from losing his cool and Rouge from any more laughing with his words. "We are nearing the location Lady Claudia gave us." At this statement, everyone went still and jokes were abandoned, a thing of the past now that they were remembered the reason for the long drive in the first place.

Rouge whispered mentally to Claudia, hoping to reassure her and awaken her will to survive because during the last few times he tried to go into her mind, he had received a worrying silence, making him fear for the worst.

"_We're almost there, Claudia. Just hang on a little longer and I'll be there to save you."_

* * *

><p>Claudia felt numb all over. Hours or days could have passed without her knowing it. She had been electrocuted to the point that even her accelerated healing rate was not kicking in and helping her. She was barely aware of the numerous stabbings and blows she had endured when they weren't electrocuting her to break her will.<p>

Someone, most probably Bogart was lifting her head by her chin and saying to her something that she couldn't hear clearly since her ears were buzzing away and she was too damn tired anyway. "… Hear me?" Bogart was saying something, but Claudia didn't respond. For that she got electrocuted again and another punch, not that she cared by then since she was too busy screaming at the new pain. Her ears finally cleared enough to hear Bogart say something again.

"I said, are you ready to give up yet, Lady Claudia? There's still time, you know? Bogart was saying. Upon hearing it, Claudia gave way to a humorless laugh.

"Give up? For what? To marry your ugly son? Puh – lease, I wasn't born yesterday. You might as well just kill me since I will never obey. Then again, if you do, you'll be hunted by the Black Rose and two other demons who will hunt you down with the Queen's blessing since she is my grand aunt." Claudia managed to rasp in a dry voice.

There was a muttering of deep unease, which came from hearing her mention demons or the Queen she wasn't too sure. Bogart silenced the mutterings with a sharp look, before turning back to her. "What do you mean the Queen is our grand aunt? And there are no such things as demons so you can't scare us!"

Claudia laughed again when she heard the slight quiver in Bogart's voice, and was instantly silenced with a punch to the jaw. Her world spun and she saw stars for several minutes before slumping forwards in exhaustion. Dimly, she heard Bogart say to the rest of his lackeys, "I'm going out for a smoke so you guys shall take over from here, all right?"

There was a chorus of "Sure boss," then Bogart left. She started to think furiously to herself despite the pain. She had heard Rouge's message to her, telling her to hang on since they were near, but inside, she knew the truth. Given the strength of the torture her body had been subjected to, she did not have much time left before her body gave up completely. If that was to occur, she wasn't about to die alone. No. She would drag them down to Hell with her if that were to be it. Therefore, it was time to reveal her secret weapon.

"It's time this game ended." Claudia whispered. She had been in the middle of another electrocution when she whispered these words; therefore those who heard her were all confused. They exchanged confused looks before someone kicked her in the ribs, demanding an explanation.

Claudia simply looked up into their eyes, making eye contact with all of them and smiling a bloodied grin before repeating her words again loudly.

**"_It's time this game ended."_** She said both out loud and in their minds. The men gasped loudly to hear her voice in their minds but gasps turned into shrieks of agony as her words grew in volume. They continued even as they died when their brains began to bleed. Some of them were lucky enough to pass out before they died while the unlucky ones continued screaming till their deaths.

Looking at her handiwork quietly, Claudia sighed. "Looks like my work here is done." She murmured before falling into the waiting blackness, her body slumping forward as she fainted.

* * *

><p>Sebastian was the first to sense something was wrong even as they reached the barn Claudia had been talking out. He frowned. Rouge saw his frown and immediately knew that Sebastian had just sensed the same thing Rouge did. "You sense it too?" Rouge asked.<p>

"Depends on your definition of it." Was Sebastian's answer. Jade and William exchanged confused glances before looking expectantly at Ciel, who looked at them annoyed before answering.

"There's no sign of anyone living in there. It's too silent. We should hear some noises at least but there is only the sound of someone breathing and the stench of death in the air." This made William more concerned.

After a few minutes of brief silence, William spoke. "Master Rouge, let me go in and rescue Lady Claudia. I'll be quick, I promise." Rouge nodded his compliance and William moved forward only to be stopped by Sebastian.

"Move out of my way, demon." William hissed in his frustration. He had been so close to rescuing his Dia until the demon had blocked his path.

"Mr. Sentis, I understand your anger against me, but you are just a human so if you encounter any trouble in there, you can easily get hurt." Sebastian said smoothly. William, Rouge and Jade snorted at this.

"But Mr. Michaelis, I'm not just any human. I'm _more_ than just a normal human, which I'm sure you and Earl Phantomhive have noticed long ago." William replied. Sebastian was taken aback at William's words. He had no idea William had noticed. While Sebastian was still in a state of shock, William moved around Sebastian and towards the barn doors where Ciel stood glaring at him.

Meeting the younger's demon stare equally; a silent message seemed to pass between them before Ciel spoke. "Sebastian, grab the doors and open them. I don't think William can open it on his own." William smiled at this and gracefully bowed, his ponytail bobbing in the wind as he bowed.

"My deepest thanks, Earl Phantomhive." William said. Ciel merely gave way to a derisive snort before moving out of the way. Sebastian was quick to comply and opened the heavy doors effortlessly, allowing William to slip through into the darkness.

* * *

><p>When William entered the barn, what he saw surprised him. All over the floor, many men were lying motionless on the ground, their ears and nostrils bleeding. <em>Definitely Lady Claudia's work<em>, William decided before picking his way carefully over them.

It was then he saw her. She sat motionless upon a chair, bound and helpless, her formerly pristine clothes dirtied with grime and blood. Her face was bruised and bloody as well, while her dark hair formed a curtain on either sides of her face. William rushed forwards upon seeing Claudia and he hurriedly took out his pocketknife, swiftly sawing through the masking tape binding her. Sometime during his steady sawing, Claudia must have woken up, for he heard her voice.

"William?" She murmured tiredly. William didn't pause in his work as he replied her.

"It is I, Lady Claudia, my Rose."

"I feel… so tired…"

"I know."

"Can you… remove the collars? They hurt."

"Of course." With that, he ripped off the shock collars with disgust.

"Thank you."

"No problem, my Lady."

"I want… to go home."

"Wait a little longer, my Rose, and we'll be home soon."

"Really?"

"Yes. I will never lie to you, Dia." There was a light chuckle from her at this.

"I know… You swore… that you would…. Ugh… Never lie to me… when I found you... two years ago..."

"I'm glad you remember, Dia. There. All done. Let's go." With that, he lifted Claudia into his arms, cradling her gently even as her head settled upon his left shoulder. Claudia immediately fell asleep upon contact with his shoulder.

Watching her sleeping figure, William whispered again, half to himself, half to the sleeping figure in his arms.

"I'll protect you, Lady Claudia, with my own life if that is needed, for I will never forget how you saved me from mindless servitude two years ago."

* * *

><p>William was approaching the entrance when he heard an argument. "He's been gone for too long! Let us go in and search for them, because, for all we know, William may be in trouble." Ciel was arguing again, this time with the impassive Rouge.<p>

Rouge simply replied. "He's coming out." Taking it as his cue, William stepped out of the shadows, Claudia still fast asleep on his shoulder even as he mused aloud.

"My, my. It sure is noisy out here." Upon hearing him, Rouge stepped forward in his concern.

"Is Claudia all right?" Rouge asked. William smiled and nodded down towards the sleeping figure in his arms.

"Let's go then. Lady Claudia looks like she needs urgent medical attention." Jade said in a business like manner, making Claudia twitch in her sleep. William merely shifted his arms to make her more comfortable and watched in relief as she settled into a deeper sleep.

* * *

><p>Claudia wasn't aware of how long she had been asleep. She just remembered William whispering to her about how she was safe now before she fell into a deep sleep. Therefore, when she opened her eyes, she was surprised at the sight of bright sunlight streaming into her room. Claudia blinked and put up a hand instinctively over her face to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight.<p>

"Good morning, Dia." She turned to see William smiling at her as he sat on a chair next to her bed.

"… William…" She murmured tiredly. She noted the pot of roses on her bedside table, her mind fuzzy before her memories rushed back. With a gasp, she sat up straight only to have a dizzy spell overcome her.

"Don't rush yourself, Dia. Your body is still very weak and the doctor said that you need plenty of rest if you are to make a full recovery." William said anxiously, gently pushing Claudia back onto the pillows. Claudia compiled and leaned back with a tired sigh. She hurt _everywhere _and was so tired too. Noticing her grimace, William stood up and disappeared from her view before returning minutes later pushing a trolley. Tired as she was, she did not fail to notice a bottle simply labeled painkillers, a jug and a few glasses. Will poured out a glass of crystal clear water and shook out a few pills into his hand before turning back to her and silently asking her to swallow the pills. Claudia willingly opened her mouth, allowing him to put the pills in before she gratefully swallowed the water he offered and pills.

The pain soon ebbed away and Claudia felt more alert now that the pain was gone. She scanned her surroundings with curiosity, realizing that she was back in her room at the manor and that there was pots of red roses placed in regular intervals around her room, though not so much that their scent would overwhelm her sensitive nose.

Claudia asked the first thing that came to mind. "The roses, what breed are they?" William smiled at her question.

"Premier Red of course, since there should only be the best for you, Dia." Was his reply. Claudia gave way to a faint smile at this, before asking another question.

"Are the servants all right? No one got hurt, did they?" She asked anxiously.

William shook his head in reply. "The intruders caught only us by surprise with the sleeping gas. They thought that the servants didn't need to be gassed so they foolishly attacked the kitchens and tried to destroy the main hall. Needless to say, Isaiah and the rest of the chefs took care of those who attacked the kitchens, while Gertrude led the some of the servants against those in the hall. The intruders also had reinforcements in the forest, but Keith and Mira say that the traps worked perfectly well and those who survived the traps were killed by the servants who were summoned for help."

Claudia's smile grew bigger upon hearing this. She had always wondered how the servants would do in a real fight instead of the quarterly drills she held to ensure their readiness in defending the mansion. It seemed like the drills had paid off.

Then her smile grew serious. "What about Rouge and Ciel? Are they still arguing?" William smiled in reply.

"They are in the rec room. Jade and Sebastian are keeping a close watch on the two to ensure no fights will occur. Although, in my honest opinion, Earl Phantomhive will snap first since Rouge has been taunting him by reading his mind and cheating during chess." William replied cheerfully.

Claudia snorted. It was what she expected, since Rouge had always been a natural prankster and joker at heart, unlike her, since she preferred to concentrate on her duties as the Crimson Rose and solving her parents' murder. And speaking of their murder…

"William, did you find Lord Bogart among those I killed?" She asked seriously.

William sighed and shook his head before replying. "I'm sorry, milady, but I'm afraid I did not see him anywhere near or inside the barn." Claudia gave way to a vehement curse at this, and punched her blankets in anger, only to yelp in pain as her fist made accidental contact with her painful leg under the blankets.

William merely looked at her through his glasses before asking, "I assume he was behind the kidnapping?"

Claudia nodded before pushing the blankets off her, which wasn't easy since her arms still hurt from a cut she received and also the fact that the left arm was broken and in a cast. William watched her actions with a curious gaze, before deciding to intervene.

"Dia, what are you doing?" He asked in curiosity.

"What else does it look like? Getting out of bed of course!" She retorted in reply.

"But you're still very weak and you should rest."

"Don't care. I'm getting tired of secrets anyway so let's just get it over with."

William gave way to a sigh at this before replying. "If you say so, Dia." Then he effortlessly lifted her blankets off her, allowing Claudia to see the full extent of her injuries. Her right ankle was in a cast, while bandages and plasters covered various spots on her body from what she could see. With a resigned sigh, she moved her legs off her bed, gritting her teeth as a fresh wave of pain rolled over her. Before she could move any further though, she was stopped by William's hand on her shoulder.

"What now?" She said irritably, amethyst eyes glaring into icy blue.

William merely smiled before asking, "Are you going to meet the Earl and the rest in your nightgown?" Claudia blushed crimson at the reminder, and was wracking her brains for an answer when she felt a huge load being tossed into her lap. She looked down in surprise to see her favorite day attire neatly folded. It included her white collared shirt and red vest, including a pair of dark jeans and a baby pink neck ribbon.

"Thanks so much, Will! You're the best!" William smiled in response before leaving the room to give her some privacy to dress. It took her quite a while due to her injuries, but she was soon ready and called out for Will to enter. He was immediately by her bed and lifting her into his arms carefully, careful not to jostle her. When she was settled, they set off for the rec room.

* * *

><p>Ciel glared at the smug bastard who was currently seated opposite him with oh so smug grin of his. "Checkmate, my Lord." Ciel seethed quietly, watching helplessly as he was defeated for the third time that day ever since Ciel foolishly challenged Rogue only to regret it after he realized that the bastard had been cheating all along!<p>

"My dear Earl, please tamper down on the cussing. It really doesn't help if Claudia hears you, since she'll have another curse word to add to her growing collection thanks to you." Rouge said cheerfully, enjoying the sight of a seething mad Ciel. Ciel was so tempted to lean over the table and snap the bastard's neck, only to be stopped by the sight of Rouge's distant expression.

"What is it now?" Ciel asked wearily. Rouge's distant expression was quickly replaced by a cheerful grin.

"Will's here! Jade, open the door for him would you?" Jade moved towards the door upon gearing Rouge's request and opened it to reveal William who was carrying Claudia in his arms. Ciel and Rouge stood up immediately at the sight of Claudia, whom, upon seeing Rouge, nudged William to put her down. William complied and carefully lowered Claudia, who tottered over to Rouge. Rouge was quick to grab her before she fell, and gently scolded her.

"You should be resting in bed, not out and about while you're so weak." Claudia merely grinned.

"I was tired of keeping secrets so I came to tell the truth that Ciel has been wanting to hear." She replied, while Ciel stood a little straighter upon hearing her words.

"You'll finally tell me who Rouge really is and who holds the title of Black Rose?" Ciel demanded. Claudia nodded before speaking to Rouge, who was watching her carefully.

"It's time to take off your mask, Carlisle." _Carlisle? _Ciel thought in confusion. _Who is she talking to?_

Rouge sighed before taking off the grey mask, which had masked his features for so long, revealing a very familiar face and _very _familiar amethyst eyes. A boy who _looked just like _Claudia grinned an identical grin as her. Claudia spoke then.

"Ciel, Sebastian, meet my twin brother, Lord Carlisle Damien Donovan Darius, and bearer of the title, the Black Rose."

**"_YOUR TWIN BROTHER?"_**

* * *

><p><strong>Raychaell: Betcha you guys didn't expect that did you?<strong>

**Ciel and Sebastian: Claudia has a TWIN BROTHER?**

**Claudia: Yup!**

**Rouge: Don't worry, all will be revealed in the next chapter!**

**Raychaell: So review please!**


	7. Secrets Revealed

**Raychaell: Hello there guys! SORRY I NEVER UPDATED FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS! SORRY! I had a mini writer's block, and added to that, my mom confiscated the laptop for two days! SORRY! Anyway, back to the story. Bet you're all thinking, 'Rouge and Claudia are TWINS?' Surprising, right?**

**Rouge: It would be to those who do not know at all. And Phantomhive still can't seem to get over the shock…**

**Raychaell: And so, without further ado, let us start this chapter! And to all Casshern lovers, the cat will be reappearing briefly in this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not; thankfully own Black Butler since I'm already getting a headache writing this story!**

_Italics - Flashback_

* * *

><p><strong>Last time on A Rescue and Surprising News<strong>

**"_Ciel, Sebastian, meet my twin brother, Lord Carlisle Damien Donovan Darius, bearer of the title, the Black Rose."_**

**"_YOUR TWIN BROTHER?"_**

* * *

><p>"<em>YOUR TWIN BROTHER?" <em>Ciel and Sebastian yelled in unison even as they exchanged shocked looks. Of all the things they were expecting to hear, this was the last thing they expected.

Next to them, William and Jade exchanged raised eyebrows before bending down to one knee, with one hand over their hearts, and murmuring, "It's a pleasure to acknowledge you at last, my Lord."

Rouge, or Carlisle which was his real name after all, started laughing away at the shocked expressions, earning him a nudge in the ribs from Claudia.

"Stop laughing at them already, big bro. They are already upset over the news that you tricked them so spare them any further humiliation." Claudia said in a scolding manner, about to say more only to start swaying on her feet. Will and Carlisle were quick to react and support her between them.

"Didn't I tell you that you should rest in your room, little sister?" Carlisle scolded, concern apparent in his face and voice.

Claudia merely rolled her eyes, and replied, albeit weakly, "I'm not that fragile, bro, so stop cosseting me already."

Carlisle merely hugged her tightly and whispered a reply that everyone heard clearly. "I can't bear to lose you like I lost Mom and Dad, so can't you be obedient for once and let me be happy? William," At this, Carlisle looked up into William's expectant gaze, " Can you take Claudia back to her room to rest?" William nodded in reply. Claudia buried her face into his chest, clinging tightly to him, not willing to be separated from her twin. William and Jade sighed and exchanged rueful looks that clearly showed that they had seen this scene plenty of times. Ciel and Sebastian just looked at each other; surprised by the emotions the usually cheerful twins had always hidden under fake smiles.

Carlisle sighed ruefully. "Fine, you may stay. But you are to sit on the settee at all times, understand?" He said, mock glaring at his twin who immediately let go of him and sat on the settee he indicated. With a bright smile, she patted the empty space next to her, where Carlisle plopped into, his attention now on Ciel and Sebastian, who remained standing, looking at the twins with expectant gazes.

"Care to tell us the whole story now?" Ciel asked in a sarcastic manner. Carlisle opened his mouth for a response, only to be interrupted by a scratching at the door and an irritated yowl.

"Casshern! I forgot about him!" Claudia shouted and nearly headed for the door, only to be stopped by a stern glance from her twin. Carlisle looked at William, who nodded in understanding before heading for the door and opening it to reveal a furious Casshern. The cat, upon seeing Claudia, made a beeline for her, deftly avoiding Sebastian's attempts to catch him for himself. Casshern leapt straight into his mistress' arms, purring contentedly while rubbing his head against Claudia's cheek. An irritated Ciel, whose glare promised death for the next interruption, soon interrupted Claudia's blissful moment.

Carlisle quickly spoke. "Back to the story, Claudia and I are truly twins. Surely you can see how we're practically mirror images of each other?" Ciel and Sebastian couldn't deny that fact. After all, if the twins weren't wearing different clothes and had different hairstyles, Ciel would have a hard time telling them apart.

Carlisle continued. "Now, I'm going to tell you everything, but please do not interrupt, or else I will not continue. If you have any questions, ask when I've finished."

"Now, this story will have to start from our parents. Our parents were Lord Daniel Gilbert Oscar Darius, and Lady Cassandra Teresa Nolan Darius. They met at Dad's twenty-first birthday ball. It's rather funny how they met. Apparently our mother, who at that time was a noble from the Nolan house, had stumbled into my father while he was escaping from his lady admirers. Mother was just eighteen then, and was soon to engage to Lord Victor Bogart, who was an Earl back then, and rather good looking too. Anyway, both crashed into each other, instant hate occurred between both when Dad tried to flirt with Mom, thinking that she was just another Lady admirer he could flirt with."

"Needless to say, Mom wasn't amused, and called Dad plenty of names that weren't fit for the ears of a well bred noble. But Dad didn't give up, and eventually managed to charm Mom into accepting him. Mom gradually came to love him, but it wasn't all thanks to Dad."

"You see Mom has a gift for predicting the future. You may call her a clairvoyant, and that gift was from the Nolan line. It apparently manifests itself in women only, and there was no way of predicting which daughter had it, since the gift was so erratic that it may take form in mother and daughter, or it may not show itself for one whole century and appear in another daughter instead. Therefore, the Nolan family hid this gift of theirs and instead quietly groomed each daughter on what to do should the gift manifest in them."

"Mom saw Dad in a dream, where they were happily married and had a blissful life ahead of them. When she woke up, she realized then how much she actually loved Dad, and that the relationship she had with Victor Bogart didn't mean anything to her at all except for a simple friendship. So, she personally told Lord Bogart the news that she was ending their relationship. Victor was upset over these news, but seeing how happy Mom was when with Dad, he accepted the break up and turned to gambling to ease the heartbreak."

"Mom was twenty when she married Dad, and twenty one when she became pregnant with us. She was just two months into pregnancy when a group of scientists approached our parents, asking Mom to let us be part of their experiment."

"Apparently, they wanted to create genetically engineered assassins, assassins that would not feel pain, and were much stronger, faster and smarter than the average human. These assassins would also have increased reflexes that would make them the best of all. But for these assassins to be created, the scientists needed a human egg, or the fetus of a human since earlier experiments showed that humans that were already born could not be made into perfect assassin the scientists wanted. Therefore, they needed us."

"Our parents were doubtful of these experiments at first. They did not condone human experimentation, but the scientists assured them that the humans they were experimenting on were all volunteers. No one was forced into doing these experiments. After some written evidence and weeks of persuasion, Mom and Dad gave in, and accepted us being used."

"I remember Mom and Dad telling me that that decision they made was one of the harshest decisions they ever made. Mom was inconsolable for weeks after we were taken out of her womb, and turned into test tube babies. The scientists did a lot of experimenting on us and other baby fetuses that were taken from their mothers too. Out of all these babies, we were the successes. We still have no idea how this was possible, but we know that when Mom learned of their success, she immediately wanted us back, experiments or not. Dad supported her in this."

"The scientists were not happy, since they wanted to watch us grow up and see if their experimenting was a true success. But the Queen, who is our grand aunt by the way, and Dad's maternal aunt, was the sponsor of these experiments and gave a royal command that we were to be returned. It made Mom and Dad happy, and we were soon born."

"We were born as twins, but the scientists had no idea about this, since when they took us, we were one. It was after the experimentation that we separated and became twins. No one knew, except our parents, the family doctor who oversaw our birth, Jade, Gertrude and Isaiah. One boy, one girl, and according to our parents, when we were born, we refused to let go of each other's hands and clung tightly to one another. We were inseparable. And even as we grew up, we stayed by each others' sides and cried whenever we were separated to different rooms."

Claudia continued the story when Carlisle's voice faded away. "Then our peaceful lives changed when we were nearing our twelfth birthday. At that time, William had not entered our service yet, and Jade served as our protector and Thorn. We were already more intelligent than the average eleven year old child and our parents decided to start our training as the Crimson and Black Roses. We trained hard in self defense, combat lessons with kinds of weapons, and were taught all about our duty to the Queen."

"We trained hard, and did our best in all our lessons. At the same time, Mom and Dad had to hide Carlisle, since we did not want to alert our enemies to the fact that our parents had twins instead of the single child everyone thought they had."

"Anyway, four months before our twelfth birthday, our parents organized a ball at our residence that my brother and I regularly swapped places so that he could see what a ball was like. Lord Bogart came to the party with his son, Jonas. When my parents introduced us to Jonas, I was the one who met him first. He was just like his father, having the same hair, nose but his mother's looks. Upon seeing me, Jonas foolishly fell in love with my beauty. His father then decided on the spot to ask my parents to allow Jonas to marry me when we were older."

"Mom and Dad disagreed. They didn't think the marriage would work out, seeing as to how I showed absolutely no feelings of any kind for the young Lord. Instead, I hated him the moment I read both his and his dad's minds. Both thought me as beautiful, but his father was thinking about how he could use my family's riches to rebuild his own family finances since he had gambled most of it away. That was one of the reasons why my family declined the engagement."

"Lord Bogart was not happy about it. He was hoping for the engagement to his beloved son and hated rejection. So he started to woo back our parents' favor by sending them expensive gifts or trying to put Jonas and me together. My parents were not fooled by his flattery or gifts. Instead, they sent back every gift offered, and rejected every attempt to put me and Jonas together."

"Lord Bogart then decided to take matters into his own hands. As you may have found out, I was sick the day my parents left for London. They were thinking of bringing Carlisle along, but Carlisle wanted to stay and take care of me. This decision saved his life."

"Lord Bogart, taking advantage of the fact that I was not with them, decided to set fire to the townhouse with his cronies. Mom never saw it coming, either in dreams or in real life. They died in the fire, leaving Carlisle and me as orphans, Of course, the police never found out about Lord Bogart despite everything. The suspect they arrested was just a scapegoat Lord Bogart had for situations like these. In the end, the police couldn't find anything pinning Lord Bogart to the crime, and the case was eventually closed."

"Lord Bogart decided to take advantage of our orphan status to adopt me. But the Queen was one step ahead of him, and decided that Jade would take care of us and become our legal guardian. Bogart was furious at this news, but did not dare defy a royal order. Then Uncle Lionel secretly stepped in to continue our training as the twin Roses."

"The position of Black Rose was held by our Uncle Lionel Darius back then, who was a bachelor and he was getting old anyway, so he decided to take Carlisle under his wing, and trained me the best he could to become the Crimson Rose. Carlisle was told to take on a new alias, so as to ensure that no one could trace him back to me. When Uncle Lionel passed away in his sleep, leaving us truly alone with Jade to care for us. It was two weeks before our birthday."

"Things became problematic after his death. Brother here had to take on the mantle of Black Rose, which meant becoming Rouge, so Jade had no idea whether to leave with big bro or stay by my side. The night after Uncle's death, I dreamt of William."

"It was a surprise to me when I first dreamt about him. After all, I had no idea that I had my mother's gift for clairvoyance. Therefore, I didn't really have any idea whether I was having an actual vision or a dream."

"I saw William being used as a human experiment. He was in pain and wanted to run away, the only problem being that the place he was imprisoned in had no escape route. Even if he managed to escape, he would be lost in a snow-covered town. Therefore, he wanted out so badly that somehow, I saw him."

"But that wasn't all I saw. I saw him by my side, and being my most loyal servant. But there would also come a time where he would undergo the greatest torment of all. I had no idea what it meant, and since Mother always told me the future is unpredictable, I decided to ignore the last part."

"So I started searching all the locations I knew were snow covered. After all, from my dream, the place where Will was held had snow all season. This helped me narrow my area of search. Carlisle and Jade also helped a lot by asking all the contacts they knew and had. And that was how we learned of the super soldier project."

"Apparently the military had been trying to create the perfect soldier, with many of its traits similar to ours. For example, enhanced strength, speed and also a soldier's mind. This meant that the soldier created from these experiments would be brainwashed to only follow the commands of the officer in charge. This had always been a success, until it was Will's turn."

"Will had all the traits of the perfect soldier, and it was easy for them to enhance these traits, but when it came to brainwashing him, it didn't work. William was determined to hold onto his own will and refused to be brainwashed. This earned him multiple punishments among the scientists. They tried lots of ways to strip him of his will, sometimes even resorting to physical torture."

"After months of torture, Will managed to escape but got lost in the same town I predicted he would be in. And then I finally found him. I'll let Will continue from here." Claudia finished, placing her hand above William's, which was on her right shoulder. William smiled briefly at Claudia before speaking.

"I do not remember exactly where and who I was before Lady Claudia found me. What I _do_ remember is that I was just a simple test subject in the eyes of the researchers and scientists. Even though the brainwashing did not succeed in stripping my will and personality away, what they did succeed in was removing my past memories of who I was before I became a human test subject."

"They did numerous methods of torture to me, some of which I can still recall in my dreams. It was traumatizing, and I barely survived it. It took me months to gather my resolve to escape from my prison. And from there, I managed to escape in just a simple hospital gown to cover my body. And then, I hid in the freezing snow to avoid my pursuers."

* * *

><p><em><span>Flashback<span>_

_He hid in the snow, freezing away. The stinking garbage hid his scent from the scent hounds that hunted him while he trembled in his fear. He was so cold, and so tired that all he longed for was the chance to sleep without fear for the next round of torture. But he couldn't sleep! No he could not. After all, if he slept, he may never wake up and lose the battle to survive. So he kept pinching himself awake and moved the best he could in the alleyway in which he hid in._

_He was about to fall asleep again when he heard her voice. It clearly belonged to a girl, and her next words froze him and made him shrink back into the shadows in fear. "Jade, I know he's nearby! I just _know it!_"_

_He shrank even further back, only to hiss in pain as his bare foot stepped onto broken glass, making him slip and fall onto his bum. Then he heard the voice again, this time at the mouth of the alleyway he hid in. "Jade, over here! I found him!"_

_He looked up in fear, only to see the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. Amethyst eyes stared deep into his icy blue eyes, making him think that the eyes were looking into his soul. The eyes belonged to a youthful face of a girl's who looked no older than twelve. She was dressed in a white hooded fur lined coat, which had red highlights on it. White snow boots peeked out from under her coat, and a rose red scarf was wrapped around her neck._

_He couldn't help but shiver as a cold wind swept through the alleyway. Upon seeing his shiver, she quickly unwrapped her scarf and offered it to him, smiling gently as she did so. With trembling fingers, he accepted the scarf from her white gloved hands, and quickly wrapped it around his neck while looking at her with a distrustful gaze. Then she asked, "Are you very cold? I would love to offer my coat, but it's much too small for you, so I'm afraid you'll have to be contented with the scarf instead."_

_Then they both heard a voice. He recognized it. He would never forget that voice, for it belonged to the general who had allowed the torture to try and break him. "Young lady, please step away from that man, He is a dangerous fugitive who is now under arrest."_

_At this she straightened, her hood falling back to reveal ebony black hair which flowed down her back in a black wave as she held her head up to gaze into the general's eyes. "Is he really a fugitive? He just looks like someone who is starved and dehydrated." The girl said mildly, her gaze full of apparent innocence._

_The general bristled at this. The man could understand why. The general did not like having his words contradicted, and now this girl was questioning him, insulting his position. "I repeat, little girl, step away from that man before I remove you with force." The general spat in rage._

_The girl merely snorted, before drawing herself up to her full height, which only reached to his waist at most. Her gaze turned into a haughty glare, which was emphasized by her next words. "I am Lady Claudia Rosario Alicia Darius, head of the Darius house and bearer of the title, Crimson Rose! Therefore, I advise you to treat me with respect befitting one of my status!"_

_The general and him were taken aback by her words, but before the general could scramble for a reply, she continued. "This so called _fugitive_ here is to be my employee and join my staff. So do give him some respect too or I'll report your misconduct to your superior officer, you understand?"_

_The general's face turned red with rage, and he said coldly, "Since you want to take him, Lady whoever you are, I'm afraid I can't let you go. Soldier," This was directed to him, "This is an order! Kill that girl!"_

_The soldier struggled to disobey even as his hands rose to try and grab her neck and snap it. He had no wish to kill the girl who had offered him kindness and a new life while many others treated him with contempt. Then he heard Lady Claudia's voice again, this time a comforting melody to his ears. "Do not worry. You have no need to obey him, because that general has no control over you. I hereby return you your will." With her words, she gently kissed his cheeks and the soldier felt his hands fall to his side, as the order no longer controlled him._

_The general was clearly pissed off, and he drew out a gun, aiming it for Lady Claudia's head. "Whoever you are, I'll kill you first before taking back that failure to be disposed of!" With that, he flicked the safety off, his finger tightening on the trigger, clearly preparing to shoot her._

_Lady Claudia just looked at him with an amused gaze before speaking clearly. "You have just clearly made your biggest mistake in underestimating me. So why don't you just _aim that gun you hold at your own head and shoot yourself._ " The soldier and general both widened their eyes in disbelief as the general's arm moved and, pressing the gun muzzle to his right temple, pulled the trigger._

**"BANG!"**

_The sight before him stunned the soldier. Half the general's head was gone and in its place was a bloody mess. After a few seconds, the general slowly dropped to the ground with a muffled thump. Lady Claudia examined the general's corpse with a gaze of indifference. "Hmph, too much mess this time." She said with a sniff. She turned her attention away from the dead body and started back towards him, a friendly smile now in her face. She was about to speak when a loud voice interrupted her._

"_Lady Claudia, are you all right?" The voice belonged to a young woman who was slightly shorter than him, and dressed in winter gear that was similar to Lady Claudia's the only difference being that hers was all black. She also had a bag on her back that was coloured forest green. Jade green eyes stared anxiously at the calm girl before she noticed the shivering soldier and the dead general._

"_Hey Jade, pass over that bag, would you? He needs it." Lady Claudia said towards Jade even as she turned towards him. The soldier watched in surprise as the woman named Jade unloaded her bag and opened it. She took out something and shook it out to reveal a black fur lined coat. She wasn't finished though. She took out a set of fur lined black boots as well, and handed it over to Lady Claudia, who gave them to him. He accepted it with trembling hands, and put both on. The coat and boots were, surprisingly, a perfect fit. He fully knelt down then, to the surprise of both women, and bowed his head towards Lady Claudia._

"_Lady Claudia, thank you… thank you so much for saving me. I am forever in your debt." He started to bend his forehead towards the ground, only to be stopped by a small hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Lady Claudia's face full of worry._

"_Please do not do that. I hate it when people bow to me for without my permission." She said gently even as she hooked an arm under his elbow. With that, he staggered to his feet with her help, and managed to stand up, limping towards the alleyway and his new life._

**To be continued!**

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><p><strong>Raychaell: Love it? Review then!<strong>

**Claudia: About time you finished it… I was beginning to think that you've abandoned us!**

**Raychaell: Sorry! But then I keep getting distracted because I have a great idea for a D. Gray Man fanfic! (It's great! Watch the anime or read the manga! Both are awesome!) So I'll try to speed this up so that I can write the other.**

**Claudia: I hate you.**

**Raychaell: *glomps Claudia* Love you too!**


	8. William's Flashback

**Raychaell: Hello there, my dears! Mama Raych is back with more Casshern soup! *holds out soup with delicious smell and drinks a spoonful* Mmm… Love the taste!**

**Claudia: *yells* YOU MADE CASSHERN INTO SOUP!**

**Raychaell: Just joking! This is just black chicken soup! Casshern is asleep in your room.**

**Claudia: I hate you! *leaves***

**William: Let me guess, you played another prank on Lady Claudia.**

**Raychaell: Yup! And that's the way uh ha uh ha I like it! Original right?**

**Rouge: *flatly* You copied that phrase from Night At The Museum 2. Nothing original about that.**

**Raychaell: *blush* SHUDDUP! Anyway, back to the story! We'll be continuing William's flashback. Read and review!**

**Response to reviews:**

**Daniella:** I'll be getting to that part soon. Hopefully I would be able to introduce it in this chapter, but if not next chapter.

**Mizuki ShiBara:** What can I say? Other than what I've already said to you in my PM to your reply, nothing except, I love you for reviewing!

**Finally, to all my darling reviewers, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I was beginning to think nobody loved me… T^T**

**William: *shakes head * Sigh… Raych doesn't own Black Butler except her crazy mind and us.**

**Raychaell: WHO ARE YOU CALLING CRAZY?**

_Flashback – italics_

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><p><em>The soldier gazed uncertainly up at the hotel before him. It was a huge building, and beautiful too, not fit for someone of his lowly status.<em>

"_Don't worry, Dia and I are rich enough to afford this, especially since Her Majesty herself financed our trip here. So just come in and stop staying out in the snow." He turned to see Lord Carlisle, twin brother to Lady Darius herself. He shared his sister's beauty and many traits. Even now, his way of talking and his stance was the same as hers, making him wonder where the girl was. She had left him earlier after passing him to Jade so that she could care for him, only saying. _

"_I'll see you later since I have some business to take care of for the time being, so let Jade and my twin brother take care of you, all right?" With that, she had left, leaving him to have a startling meeting with the young Lord who had accepted him without a second word._

_The soldier stepped into the hotel uncertainly, blinking rapidly in surprise at the bright lights and colors that decorated the hall. His feet sank into the thickly carpeted hall and he took in with surprise the busy scene in front of him. People in uniforms went around him, busy with their duties. Some were dressed in normal attire like him, chatting merrily as they indulged in their meals and conversation. Then a hand tugged on his elbow, making him look down in surprise. "You're finally here! Come on, we better get you cleaned up before we have our meals." Lady Darius said those amethyst eyes gazing into his icy blue ones merrily._

_He nodded dumbly in reply, allowing her to lead him towards the closest lift. Once they entered, she pressed a button simply labeled '12' and then they were rising towards the top of the building. It finally stopped when a calm female voice informed that they had reached the twelfth floor. The lift door opened to reveal a magnificent room, more beautiful than the lobby itself. It was decorated in shades of creamy white, with an occasional dab of red here and there. A great window on the other side of the room had its curtains drawn to reveal falling snow outside. He no longer felt cold in this room. Instead, there was a fire blazing merrily in the fireplace, making him feel warm in his winter outfit._

"_Lady Darius, you're back! And who's this?" A merry voice questioned, snapping him out of his reverie and awe. He looked at the voice, only to see a pale man dressed in a fashionable suit, his black hair carefully styled to look like it was wind swept. Dark brown eyes observed them eagerly even as his gloved hands came together with a muffled clapping sound._

_While the soldier tried to shrink back at the sight of the unfamiliar man, Lady Darius merely seemed amused. "Hey there, Wesley. This gentleman here is soon to be my new Thorn, so I'm going to need you to give him a makeover befitting his status as my manservant." She said in explanation, gesturing towards the soldier who now stared wide eyed at her in terror at being separated from his savior._

"_It's all right, Mr. ... What is your name? I can't keep addressing without a name, since it makes me feel like I'm being rude," she asked in curiosity. The soldier hesitated briefly before carefully speaking in a raspy tone._

"_I… have no name, my Lady," he said softly, eyes downcast. "I've forgotten what my name is." Then he felt his chin being lifted, his eyes meeting Lady Darius'._

"_No matter. Shall I give you a new one then or would you like to name yourself?" She questioned. The soldier thought about it. He had no idea what to name himself, and he could probably end up making Lady Darius upset if the name he chose was offending to her. So that meant…_

"_I have no idea what to name myself, Lady Darius, so could you give me a name?" He mumbled, blushing slightly. Lady Darius did not seem to mind. Instead, she responded with a name._

"_How would you like the name, William? It means protector, _(A/N: I swear I had no idea that the name William meant that. It was just a name I picked up from the manga Crimson Shell, whose characters, by the way, I based both Claudia and William on. Slight differences being eye color and maybe attitudes.) _and since one of your duties as my Thorn is to protect me, it would suit you perfectly." She questioned with a smile._

_William contemplated his new name while Lady Darius and Wesley awaited his decision patiently. It sounded nice, and it had a certain ring to it that made him realize that if he accepted it, he would be free from his past. His decision made, William looked into Lady Darius' eyes, and spoke shyly. "Lady Darius, I accept the name. Thank you so much."_

_Lady Darius smiled brightly at this, before speaking again. "Well, William. As you may have heard, Wesley here is going to give you a makeover. After all, we can't have my manservant looking underdressed, can we? Now, just follow him into the room, and I'll wait for you outside, all right?" She questioned. William nodded and allowed the man named Wesley to lead him into the room Wesley had appeared from before. He was dragged in, and once again, William was struck by the magnificence of the room. Shoved along one side of the room was a table laden with several brushes and combs. On it were three mirrors, the one in the middle biggest while those on either side of it were half its size. In front of the table was a swivel chair, which William was instructed to sit in._

_William complied, feeling awkward as Wesley fussed over his appearance, mumbling to himself something or the other. Just as William felt ready to demand an explanation, Wesley spoke, "All right, Mr. William, I'm going to need you to strip so that I can see what else I need to change." William silently panicked. He had no idea whether he could trust this man even if Wesley was an acquaintance of Lady Darius. But thinking about Lady Darius did help I soothing his nerves, especially since she was just outside the door, awaiting him patiently._

_With a sigh, William nodded and stripped, shivering slightly in the cold. Wesley, upon seeing him shiver, switched off the air conditioner and observing his bruised and cut body. There were also burns on some areas; burns that, despite his genetic makeup, refused to heal fully. Wesley seemed to come to a decision then. "William, there's an adjoining shower in this room. Feel free to use it. I'll bring in your clothes later so leave the door unlocked." Wesley said in a brusque manner. "While you shower, I'll talk to Lady Darius."_

_William nodded again in compliance before limping towards the shower indicated. It was stark white, with gold highlights. A mirror stretched along one a wall, the marble counter surprisingly uncluttered. A glass basin rested on the counter, with a silver tap above. Opposite the mirror was a large bathtub, it's ceramic surface polished to perfection. On the other side of the room, a simple shower could be seen as well, with anti slip mats placed beside it and the bathtub. _

_William contemplated for a while before stepping into the shower, turning on the hot water and letting it splash him, warming him and washing all the grime and blood away. He adjusted the hot water, cooling it until it no longer scalded him. He stood with his face upturned to the showerhead, letting the warmth relax his tense body until he felt better and more relaxed. When he stepped out of the shower at last with a towel to wipe the moisture off his body, the first thing he noticed was the neat pile of clothing stacked upon the counter._

_In his curiosity, he stepped over to it, and shook out the clothing to reveal a white collared shirt, new underwear, and a dark blue, almost black suit. A pair of black dress shoes was provided as well, with a long red neck ribbon to go with the suit. He put all these on, and gazed at his appearance in the mirror. He saw a clean-shaven, mostly bald man, with calm eyes and a well-dressed appearance to match. He blinked, and the image in the mirror was suddenly him. His eyesight however, seemed too good, for he could see faint scratches on the mirror, and when he turned his far sighted eyes upon other things, details came to him in painful crystal clear clarity. He sighed ruefully. It seemed he had to ask Lady Darius for something to limit his far sight._

_Then there was a knock on the door, accompanied by a voice. "William, Lady Darius is waiting for you. Do hurry a little, would you?" Wesley asked. William hurriedly dried himself off at this before stepping out of the bathroom. Wesley awaited him outside, wearing his usual bright smile. Wesley beamed at the sight of the well-dressed William, fussing all over the already uncomfortable William, tugging at a sleeve or the collar, before stepping back in satisfaction. William heaved a sigh of relief, thinking his ordeal was over, but Wesley wasn't finished._

"_Wait here," Wesley ordered, and ran back to the makeup table, rummaging through the mess before surfacing with a long blonde wig. He handed the wig over to William, who put it on with a cautious manner. Wesley stepped back again to observe his handiwork, only to frown at William, who had by now resigned himself into becoming the older man's guinea pig. Then Wesley's eyes brightened with a realization, dashing back to the makeup table to grab a red hair ribbon that had been dangling on the left mirror. The hair ribbon was used to tie William's hair back, and at last Wesley seemed satisfied at his handiwork._

"_Are we done?" William asked wearily. Wesley nodded and led him out of the room, opening the door to reveal Lady Darius and her twin chatting with a stranger. Jade was not with them. The stranger was wearing a white coat, which reminded William of the scientists back at the prison. The only difference between the man and the scientists was that the man had grey hair and merry brown eyes, which seemed to notice everything._

"_Lady Darius, allow me to introduce my latest handiwork, William the Thorn, manservant to Lady Claudia Darius!" Wesley announced brightly. William blushed as the trio turned their gazes on him, observing his appearance._

"_Well well? What do you think?" Wesley demanded, searching their faces for an answer. Lady Darius was the first to answer, a smile growing on her face._

"_Wesley, you have once again reminded me why I pay you so much for your services. William is a masterpiece! He truly fits the image of my manservant/butler!" She enthused. William blushed at the comment, ducking his head in embarrassment while the others heaped similar praises upon him. Wesley's grin grew even larger at the praises and bowed in his pleasure._

"_Thank you so much for your praises, my friends! If there is nothing else, I'll take my leave." Wesley said, bowing to the rest before he retreated to his own room._

_William looked uncertainly at Lady Darius. He had no idea what to do, and awaited her decision silently. Lady Darius seemed to understand, for she beckoned him forward even as she nodded for the doctor to stand up. The doctor and William obeyed, and moved till they were on either side of Lady Darius. "William, I want you to meet Dr Ragland. He'll be treating you for any injuries you have, and also check you over at the same time. Dr Ragland, if you would go to this room please. William, I need you to follow the doctor. " Lady Darius said kindly, directing her words towards both men._

_William wearily followed the doctor, following him into the room indicated. He was beginning to feel very hungry, and he wanted so badly to ask Lady Darius when he could have his meal. As if reading his mind, Lady Darius spoke again, her words clearly directed to William, "I know that you're hungry, William, so Dr Ragland will make things quick for you, all right?" There was a note of concern in her voice, which William realized was for him. _Lady Darius is worried for me, _he realized._

_With that realization, William paused from his position inside the room, and gave her a dutiful reply, "I'll be fine, my Lady, so do not concern yourself over a mere servant like me." With that, he closed the door behind him._

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><p>"<em>Hmmm… Old injuries from the looks of it. Some may need proper hospital treatment, but the rest can be treated now," Dr Ragland said with an observing gaze as he assessed William's wounds. William had been asked to strip, before the doctor had started his assessment.<em>

_The doctor made more comments to himself, muttering about William's health and injuries, then abruptly stopped, leaving William confused. Then without another word, William found himself ushered out of the room, fully dressed, and just in time to see Lady Claudia headed for his room, hand raised as if to knock. Upon seeing him, Lady Darius cocked her head in amusement, "You got chased out?" She asked, laughter lacing her voice._

_William nodded in embarrassment. This got a giggle from her. "No matter," she said, "Since I was just about to ask for you since your meals are ready." William perked up at this and followed Lady Darius to the main living room of the penthouse, only to stop in surprise. His jaw dropped at the sight before him._

_There was a round table in the middle of the room laden with food. Two cushioned seats were pushed into either sides of the table, awaiting them. But what captured William's eyes was the food. His eyes widened at the sight of the bountiful food laid out on the table. There were so many, so many he didn't think that he could finish them all._

"_M-mi- milady, I d-d-d- don't think I can finish all those by myself." William stammered in his shock._

_Lady Darius merely smiled and said, "You're not the only one who's hungry. I spent the whole day searching for you, so I'm starved as well! Take a seat, and then dig in. And by the way, stop calling me Lady Darius. I want you to call me Lady Claudia or Dia, as my family and friends call me."_

_William nodded in a daze, before settling himself into the seat, and with another smile from Lady Claudia, began to dig in hungrily. He hadn't eaten much before he ran away from the prison, and even if he had eaten, the scant meals he usually had wouldn't be able to satisfy his hunger. But now, Lady Claudia was offering him all the food he could eat, satisfying his hunger._

_After several minutes, William leaned back in his chair, satisfied at last. Lady Claudia looked at him with amusement plain on her face. "Satisfied?" She asked. William nodded._

_She then rested her elbows on the table, and resting her hands on her open palm, she gazed at him with curiosity plain in her gaze. "You're not much of a talker, aren't you, William?"_

_William looked at her upon hearing this, and pondered his words before speaking carefully, "I don't talk much because back at the prison where they experimented on me, they did not encourage much conversation from the prisoners. For them, the only time you can talk is when the scientists or higher ups talk to you or specifically order you to talk. If you talked out of turn, you will be punished. Therefore, I guess this became a habit of mine; avoid talking unless people talk to me or I have something to say." Lady Claudia blinked in surprise at this statement. William couldn't blame her surprise. After all, he too felt as surprised as she did at his rant. It had been some time ever since he had the chance to properly express himself, so it may be why he talked so much._

_Lady Claudia was the one who broke the awkward silence. "Well, William, since you have no actual name, I'll give you one then. How would you like your full name to be William de Sentis?"_

"_William de Sentis?" William repeated, letting the word roll around his mouth. It sounded… mysterious, and nice as well. Lady Claudia explained, "De Sentis means the Thorn in Italian and Latin respectively. And since you're to be my Thorn, it would suit you."_

_William looked up. He let a smile fill his face. "I like it. My deepest thanks, Lady Claudia. And there is something I wish to do as well, so may I?" Lady Claudia merely smiled, awaiting him. William took that as a yes, and slid off his seat, going to her and kneeling down on his left knee in front of her._

_Then, with his right hand over his heart, he bowed his head to her and vowed. "I, William de Sentis, swear to protect you always as long as there is breath in this body of mine. I also swear never to lie to you, leave you alone, betray you or hurt you. This I swear upon my unworthy life and the name I now bear as your Thorn, Lady Claudia, my Crimson Rose."_

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><p><strong><em><span>Two months later<span>_**

"_William, where are you?" William looked up in surprise upon hearing Claudia's voice. It had been two months ever since he entered her service, and the other servants had been surprisingly accepting about it. There hadn't been any protests about him sticking so close to Claudia; instead, they just didn't mind it. Apparently, they had been told that he was to be her manservant and Thorn, so they thought that his unusual behavior was one of being protective._

"_William, answer me!" Claudia's voice sounded imperiously. William sighed and put down the vase which roses he had been replacing. He had spotted a wilt in one of them and was just about to take it out when Claudia had called him. With graceful steps, he crossed the hall and soon reached her bedroom. Inside, Claudia was frantically grabbing her clothes, yanking shirts or jeans out of the wardrobe before tossing them onto her bed. William blinked in surprise at the scene, before asking mildly, "Claudia, what in the world are you doing?" He had gotten used to calling her Claudia while they were alone, but refused to call her Dia yet, even though she insisted on it sometimes._

"_I'm getting dressed since we're going to the labs," Claudia answered, making him raise an eyebrow in surprise. He had been to the labs before, which belonged to Claudia's company, and had surprised at the sight of the numerous men working around the clock to produce the best medicinal products in the country. He had seen how Claudia had reacted around them, her happiness as she chatted with them and shared their dismay when one of their experiments would, quite often, literally blow up in their faces, leaving a very surprised and soot streaked scientist with an Afro hairstyle while his friends hooted with laughter at his surprise._

"_Why are we going to the labs?" William asked in curiosity._

_He was answered with a grunt as Claudia finally made her choice and pulled on her outfit, which consisted of a pink parka and a black long sleeved shirt beneath. When she finally poked her head out, he got a proper answer. "I asked the guys there to make you a hair growth tonic so that you won't have to wear the wig anymore. After all, you obviously don't like it wearing it." William blinked at this, for he had no idea that she had noticed his discomfort. It was true that he disliked wearing the wig, for if he bent down too much, even the hairclips that affixed his wig to the bare patches of hair he had would loosen their grip, making the wig fall off his head. Still, he wore the wig since he was mostly bald even after two long months, and it wouldn't bode well if the new Darius butler was bald. It would ruin the Darius name._

_Soon enough, they were in the car and on their way to the factory where the labs were located. William did not drive since he was still taking his driving lessons, and wasn't ready to take the wheel. Instead, he sat in the front passenger seat while Lady Darius sat in the backseat, absorbed in her iPhone and chatting with her twin who had now assumed the name Rouge and began his operations in the London Underworld. The drive wasn't long, and they soon reached the factory, entering the doors and heading straight for the Science Department, which doors they entered but regretted not bringing earphones, for their ears were immediately assaulted with a barrage of noises._

_Claudia winced while William adjusted his glasses ruefully. He had gotten the glasses from Claudia once she realized his far sightedness, and wore it always unless he needed to look at things from a far distance. Once their ears had adjusted to the noise, Claudia took the lead, heading straight for a row of tables somewhere in the middle._

_The sight of chief scientist David Renner greeted them fast asleep while the experimental potion he was in the middle of testing bubbled dangerously. Claudia, seeing the danger, quickly shook the brown haired scientist awake, and pointed to the potion when greeted with a sleepy, "What?" David was quick to react and managed to turn off the Bunsen burner in time before the whole thing exploded._

_With the crisis averted, David greeted the newcomers cheerfully, "Nice to see you again, Miss Darius, Mr. Sentis. I assume you're here for the hair growth tonic?" Claudia gave way to an impatient sigh, and said, "Hurry it up already, David, since William and I are losing our patience by the minute!"_

_David chuckled at her impatient remark, before rummaging through the paperwork on his desk to reveal a nasty looking green fluid that swirled in a flask. William felt sick just looking at it, while Claudia crossed her arms, awaiting an explanation. And she got one. "This potion will ensure that Mr. Sentis' hair will grow back in his natural hair color, so no worries! He'll be back to normal soon," David assured the doubtful couple._

"_William, you ready?" Claudia questioned, her eyes full of concern for him. William sighed, and muttered, "Here goes nothing," before he took the flask and, plugging his nose, downed the potion in one gulp. He blacked out immediately._

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><p><em>When he woke up, William was first aware of Claudia's angered shouting, and David's constant apologies. William blinked in surprise, and the world came back into focus, allowing him to see Claudia's face just inches away from his, full of worry that went away at the sight of his open eyes. "Are you alright, William?" She asked in concern. William nodded, and immediately wished he didn't, for his world swirled sickeningly for a while before coming back into focus.<em>

"_I'm fine," He said, before turning an accusing gaze towards David, who cringed under William's glare. William slowly got to his feet, before he walked straight towards the scientist who was shrinking back in fear._

"_Why didn't you tell me about the side effects?" William asked, his voice emotionless._

"_Because you didn't warn me that you'll take it all in one gulp! It was meant to be drunken slowly in the first place!" David managed to retort, "And besides, the potion worked, though it might be a little too good." This was muttered under David's breath, and brought instant panic to William._

_William turned a pleading gaze towards Claudia. "Lady Claudia, what does he mean?" William asked anxiously. Claudia merely held back laughter even as she handed him a mirror silently in reply. William grabbed it and looked at his reflection, only to freeze in shock._

_He had hair agin, and it was a beautiful icy blonde, the only problem being that, his hair was long. Very long, and it reached his waist. While he stood in shock, David came up with a suggestion, "Perhaps we can try cutting your hair to normal length."_

_David's suggestion was tried immediately, and it looked as if it was going to work, until it grew back in the space of a few hours to the same length as before. William put his head in his hands in dismay, while Claudia, David and the rest of the scientists who had seen longhaired William roared with laughter. It took hours for them to control their laughter, and when Claudia had gained some semblance of control, she handed him a ruby red hair ribbon, which William grudgingly accepted and used to tie his long hair back._

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><p><em>It was late at night when they finally returned to the manor, Claudia half asleep on her feet. She was immediately ushered into her bedroom and had her clothes changed by the female servants, so when they finally left, allowing him entry, Claudia was already in bed, and dozing off.<em>

_William smiled at the sight of his young mistress deeply asleep, before tucking her in warmly. He was just about to leave when he heard her mumble, "I like you with long hair, William, so don't be upset." William paused at the door when he heard her comment, then smiled to himself once more. _I think I can get used to this after all, _William mused to himself before shutting the door behind him._

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><p><strong>Raychaell: TADA! Another chapter done! Longest chapter done in my personal history. Love it, review then, and I'll dedicate the next chapter to you!<strong>

**Rouge: So that's how William got long hair?**

**Raychaell: Yup!**

**Rouge: *flatly* And the only reason he didn't complain was because little Sis likes it.**

**William: As long as Dia accepts it, I'm fine with anything.**

**Rouge: You're taking obsession to a whole new level, Will.**

**William: I am NOT obsessed with Dia! I am merely her servant, so her likes and dislikes become mine as well!**

**Raychaell: While these two idiots argue away, please review! Go on! That blue link at the bottom of your screen is compelling you to do it, so obey…**


	9. Revelations

**Raychaell: Hello! Sorry about the long wait, but I had writer's block and another story wanted me to write it…**

**Before I get on with the story, I've got a letter from CIEL HIMSELF! OMG! Let's see what he wrote.**

**Onehellofaciel: Great job, your story amazes me still. Please continue, and I hope that you receive this letter, I meant to review earlier, but once again I found myself to be preoccupied with problems arousing from our issue with the reapers. Lady Roisa sends her regards.**

**Raychaell: OMG! CIEL! I love you! Anyway, betcha you're all waiting to see how our two favorite demons are going to deal with the news that the twins and William aren't normal humans, right? By the way, *turns to William* Where's Claudia?**

**William: She's sulking in her room again. She says that she's not going to come out till you promise no more pranks.**

**Raychaell: Don't care. I'll just get on with the story then.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Black Butler, only my OCs.**

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><p>Ciel and Sebastian sat down heavily on the chairs provided, their minds reeling as they absorbed the story. Claudia and Carlisle merely stayed where they were, Carlisle with his head in Claudia's lap as she ran her fingers through his hair idly. William still remained behind the twins, watching his mistress fondly while Jade had left mid way through the tale without a word.<p>

Ciel was the first to break the silence. "So you're saying that you twins are actually genetically engineered assassins, and William here is actually a super soldier. If that is so, how do you explain the telepathy? Is it part of your genetic makeup?" He questioned.

The twins exchanged glances. Claudia was the one who replied. "That's a good question. We ourselves are unsure of it too. We were both eight when we realized that we had telepathy, and our parents theorized that it was a side effect from all the experimenting done on us. After all, we were supposed to be more perceptive to our surroundings, and somehow, it must have upgraded into telepathy." Ciel lapsed into a thoughtful silence at this, and Sebastian decided to ask the next question.

"Since the both of you have so much power in you, not to mention, all those contacts you have, shouldn't it be easy for you to destroy Lord Bogart and his son Jonas to make them pay for the suffering they caused?" Sebastian asked.

Carlisle sighed at this, before replying, "Yes, we can actually destroy them, but we can't. Before you ask why, the reason is because Bogart has some powerful friends on his side. While they may not bother helping him with his finances, they actually use him as their pawn, so if we destroy him now, we may never find out who these friends are. We suspect these friends are the reason why Bogart killed our parents."

Ciel asked, "If that is so, what is your purpose in involving me and Sebastian? I mean, you've got so much strength and power on your side, so why involve us in your plan?" At this, the twins gave way to similar sighs.

"We need you because you guys are demons. Before you ask how we found out, do remember that Claudia here is a telepath. When she made eye contact and touched you, she managed to look deep into your mind and with that, she found out that you were a demon. And to answer your earlier question, we tried to do a sneak attack on him, but he was defended by his friends, and somehow got tipped off even though only William, Jade, Claudia and I knew that we were going to attack Victor. When we tried to get to Jonas, we ran into trouble, since high-ranking nobles also surrounded that imbecile, so if we tried to assassinate him, those friends would notice and cause some trouble. Therefore, we did nothing but wait for a chance." Carlisle said tiredly.

"That was, until you guys appeared. Brother here wasn't exactly too sure of your intentions, so we decided to observe you from afar, and he decided to do something revealing to test your intentions. If he hadn't started to publicly expand his stake in the Underworld, he would have remained a mystery to both of you." Claudia explained.

Ciel sat up at this. He demanded, "So you're saying, all this time, you had been luring us in, and using us as your pawns, instead of us doing the same to you?"

Claudia and Carlisle exchanged amused glances before giving Ciel huge grins that clearly said yes. Ciel swore loudly in his anger while Sebastian did a face palm. They had thought themselves clever enough to hide their presence and also manipulate the twin Roses. Instead, they had been chasing after false bait provided by them all along!

Then a question occurred to Ciel, "But you still have not told us why you want us in the first place?" Ciel asked.

Claudia sighed at this, and replied, "We need you to find out who these friends are and help us kill them."

Ciel smirked. "If you want us to do this, then make a contract with me." He said arrogance clear in his words. Carlisle and William started forward at this, angered at the suggestion of a contract with the demon. However, Claudia, who had raised her left hand, who didn't break her steady gaze on Ciel and Sebastian, stopped them.

"A contract you say? What if I say no?" Claudia questioned in an icy tone, scorn clear in her voice.

Ciel leant back and retorted a reply. "Then, I have no interest in helping you." This served to only make Claudia laugh in his face, causing both demons to frown their annoyance.

"What's so funny?" An irate Ciel demanded, an equally annoyed Sebastian glaring at the smirks that were now present on both William and Carlisle's faces. Claudia retorted a sarcastic reply.

"Nothing, except for the fact that you forgot something. We're both currently in _my home, my territory, _and you seek to _form a contract with me. _ Not to mention, we're still on a case to find out the reason behind the mysterious disappearances, so you can't exactly order me around when we're supposed to be partners. Do I need to say more?" With that, Claudia tilted her head to the side, flashing him a smirk at her success at silencing the now silently furious Ciel. Sebastian was quick to notice the tension in the room increasing, and decided to take matters into his own hands.

"You still have not told us the real reason for your refusal. Most humans would have taken the chance to form a contract with a demon to fulfill whatever purpose they have, but you and your twin, not to mention Mr Sentis himself, have not been approached by any demon even with your delectable souls. Care to explain?" Sebastian asked curiously. Claudia's eyes became shadowed at this, and her voice took on a steely edge as she spoke, gripping Carlisle's hand tightly.

"When I first saw the mansion my parents died in and learned about the people responsible for their deaths, I swore on my family name and soul that I would avenge my parents no matter what, and I would use whatever means necessary to do so. However, I also made a promise never to do anything life changing unless it was a matter of life and death. That is why I'll never make a contract with you demons unless I truly have to. I wish to think that you two would understand, but seeing as to how you both are demons, it would just be fat hope on my part." At this, Claudia glared at the two demons, daring them to say a word against her. Ciel spoke first.

"I understand how you feel. Remember what I told you about my parents' murder? I too, suffered when I was kidnapped and sold to a cult. They tortured and abused me there, and tried to sacrifice me to Sebastian. Luckily for me, he formed a contract with me instead, so I plotted my revenge on those who had hurt and humiliated me. It changed my entire life from then on, but I don't regret it at all." He said softly, staring straight into Claudia's eyes while Sebastian stared at him with something akin to shock since it was rare to hear Ciel talk about his past, especially to a suspicious ally. Ciel ignored Sebastian as he continued.

"You may wonder why I'm saying this. If you think I'm using a sympathy card to pressurize you into making a contract with me, you're wrong. The reason why I say this is because I want to say, _I understand_. I won't force you, but I want to make a small bargain with you instead. If a situation forces you or the rest of your family to make a contract with me, take note that_ I_ _will do it._ I will do everything in my power to make sure you live because I still have more questions for you." Ciel finished, lifting his chin up arrogantly, daring the younger girl to insult him again. However, he got a chuckle instead, making him blink in surprise. Claudia tilted her head to the side, giving him a wry smile.

"I get it, Ciel. No worries, I won't let that cloud my judgment of you, but I also will make sure that situation in which I have no other option but to make a contract with me will never happen. So can we get on the crux of the matter? After all, we still have a case to solve, remember?" Claudia said, amusement clear in her tone. Ciel nodded, and was ready to start brainstorming about the new case when Sebastian spoke.

"Forgive my interruption Lady Claudia, but I have a question for Miss Jade herself. I noticed that she had not spoken much during our conversation, and also, only Mr Sentis and you twins have revealed their past. We have not heard from Miss Jade herself at all, so can you call her back in and ask her to tell us her story?" Sebastian questioned, meeting Carlisle's sharp gaze steadily, since the boy had sat up upon the mention of Jade. He ran his hand through his hair seemingly in frustration before turning to his twin and giving her an uncertain glance. This was answered by a glare from her before they started their silent conversation, ignoring the rest.

The twins seemed to have a mental argument with each other as they exchanged glances and short clipped words that made no sense to Ciel and Sebastian while William merely looked bored and stared out of the window, but not without an occasional glance towards the bickering twins. Finally, it seemed the argument had come to an end, and judging by Carlisle's triumphant look, Carlisle had won. Turning to the two demons, the younger boy grinned darkly, and said cheerfully, "You can talk to Jade, but whether she's willing to talk or not is up to her. We will not force her at all." With that, he twisted his body and tilted his head up to meet William's expectant gaze.

"Hey Will, call Jade up for us all right?" Carlisle asked, and William smiled before leaving the room to find Jade. Jade must have been near since William returned soon after with Jade close behind him. The older woman glared briefly at Ciel and Sebastian, before looking back at her master with a weary look.

Carlisle was quick to reassure her. "Jade, it's all right. No one will force you. We're just interested in knowing more about your past that's all." Jade rolled her eyes wearily at this, before retorting, "I know you said that you wouldn't force me, but don't forget, I know you too well. I'm the one who watched over you and your sister ever since you were born; so don't give me that crap. After all, you always were the curious one among you twins, and that was what led your parents into deciding that you were to be the Black Rose." At this, Carlisle gave a way to a small blush of embarrassment at this, since he had forgotten that Jade could easily guess his mind, making it impossible to lie to the older woman. Jade then turned back to the demons.

"Since you want to know my history, I might as well just get it over with. I was born Sara Somers, and was born a street kid with a large distrust of everyone. My mom was a drug addict, my dad a drunkard. I have no siblings, and constantly lived in fear and hatred since my parents would go on a rampage whenever they wanted more money to feed their addictions. I escaped my home at five, and lived on the streets until I was 12. Lady Claudia's mom was the one who found me. Apparently she had a dream about me, and how I would play a large role in the future. So she took me in, had my name changed to Jade Dionte and raised up till I was 18. She gave me chances to where I carve out a life for myself now that I was a legal adult, but I refused to leave her, so she gave me a job as one of the manor staff and from then, I witnessed her pregnancy then birth of the twins. I was with the twins the day their parents died, so I was there to console the Young Mistress and Young Master, and also was there by their side when they each took on the roles left to them by their family."

"I may be just a mere human servant in your eyes, but take note that I have trained with the greatest fighters themselves, and I have beaten grown men twice my age. I was also William's mentor and I carved him up from a young man unsure of his part in the world and sculpted him into the Thorn he is today. So underestimate me or at your own risk demons, or if you dare to taint my Young Master with those filthy hands of yours and I'll show you what this 'mere human' can do." Jade finished with a glare at the two demons which Ciel and Sebastian instinctively found themselves cringing away from. After all, the phrase 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' was applicable to Jade herself at that moment of time. In the background the twins were snickering away at Ciel and Sebastian's uncomfortable expressions while William did a face palm at Jade's words. A throat clearing from William soon brought everyone back to reality.

"Forgive me, Milady, but it's time you went back to bed. After all, you are still weak from your injuries and the doctor had said plenty of bed rest for you." William said gently, putting his hands on Claudia's shoulder. Claudia looked up at William and pouted.

"But I want to talk to Ciel!" Claudia whined, turning to her twin in a silent plea for support but Carlisle merely frowned at her, making her sigh and stand up. Turning back to Ciel, Claudia once again, smiled sweetly and said, "Guys, while I'm resting, I hope you'll continue with the case then share your findings with me tomorrow. After all, we still have a case to solve." With that, Claudia swept out of the room, William close behind her. The guys and Jade all watched the doors close behind Claudia and William before turning their attention back to each other. For a while, the two rivals studied each other, each wondering whether they could trust the other. Then Ciel smiled, not a calculating smile, but one full of rare friendliness.

"Truce?" Ciel offered, getting up and extending his right hand out for a handshake. Carlisle also gave way to a friendly smile before getting up and clasping the hand.

"Truce it is." Carlisle agreed, and Sebastian and Jade smiled at the scene. With all the malice and distrust gone, the two former rivals turned their attention back to the case assigned to them and started to exchange findings.

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><p>"So all the information we currently have on this case is that there is no specific brand of victims. Instead, all of them are either children or adults?" Claudia questioned, a frown on her face as she leaned back in her leather swivel chair behind the office desk. Her twin, Ciel, and their butlers were spread around the office the twins shared; Carlisle perched on the desk while Ciel sat on the settee, Sebastian standing beside him. William and Jade were standing on either side of the long desk on which several files and pictures were spread. It had been a week ever since the two former rivals had made their peace with each other and start working together while Claudia made a speedy recovery thanks to her genetic makeup providing her with an accelerated healing rate. As soon as Claudia was declared healthy she had headed straight for her office and buried herself in the case, determined to stop the mysterious disappearances and, if possible, save the victims. Yet despite everyone's constant efforts, all they found that the disappearances had no pattern whatsoever, making them almost impossible to trace and find. Claudia could already feel a headache coming on as she stared at the pictures and files on her desk in frustration, wishing that there were a way to find out the truth.<p>

"Hey guys, maybe the victims were kidnapped for cult purposes?" Ciel theorized, his face turning thoughtful as he thought hard. "I mean, as you have said yourself, there's no difference in the victims as all, and it sounds consistent with what I know about cults." At this Carlisle shook his head.

"If there was cult activity, I would have learned about it through my contacts and anyway, even if it is cult activity, wouldn't there be bodies?" Carlisle said, only to tilt his head curiously as Ciel and Sebastian widened their eyes at the word 'bodies'.

"What's wrong?" The twins asked in perfect unison before widening their eyes too as they read the rush of thoughts in both demons' minds.

Carlisle was the first to speak, but his words were full of shock and astonishment even as he hopped off the desk and stood in front of the demons. "You know the creepy dude?" At this, the two demons looked at Carlisle in confusion, not understanding his words. The younger boy ran a hand through his hair in frustration again before clarifying.

"You call him Undertaker." Ciel and Sebastian both yelled in shock at these words.

**"_YOU KNOW THE UNDERTAKER?"_**

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><p><strong>Raychaell: Surprise surprise! Carlisle knows the Undertaker! And YES! THIS CHAPTER IS FINALLY COMPLETE!<strong>

**Carlisle: About time too! You took your own sweet time.**

**Raychaell: *rolls eyes* I told you; I had writer's block when it came to writing the middle part so it was rather hard on me! Anyway, if you love it, then review! Reviewers will get dedications!**


	10. The Undertaker

**Raychaell: Sorry about the late update guys! I had a hard time trying to find time for this, and before I forget, if I don't see any new reviews for this chapter, I'll delay updating it!**

**Claudia: You dare…**

**Raychaell: YUP!**

**Carlisle: You're courting your own death with those words.**

**Raychaell: Don't care. I don't own Black Butler, only my OCs.**

"_Telepathy"_

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><p>"YOU KNOW THE UNDERTAKER?" Ciel and Sebastian yelled in their shock. They weren't the only ones who were surprised by this news. Claudia and William exchanged looks of surprise at the revelation, but Claudia was the one who spoke first.<p>

"Black, you know the Undertaker?" Claudia asked with a tone full of curiosity as she stared at her older twin. Carlisle sighed, running a hand through his air as he explained.

"Creepy dude appeared in my district, as in my territory in the Underworld, around a few days after you arrived and started your hold. I sent a few of my trusted goons to check out his shop, which is exactly as you demons remember it. Big sign and creepy façade included." At this, Ciel and Sebastian gave way to similar sighs.

"So anyway, I sent the goons there to check the place out, and they came back looking like they've seen a ghost. I asked them for a report, and they told me, no _begged_ me not make them go to the Undertaker's store ever again. When I asked why, they told me that the Undertaker was too scary. So Jade and I decided to see what could possibly scare grown men who are capable of cold blooded murder." At this, Carlisle and Jade gave way to similar shudders of fear before continuing. "We went into the store, and at first sight, the place was empty. So we decided to do some scouting, and were rather freaked out when the Undertaker came out of nowhere, scaring the wits out of us both. I mean, that guy was so silent, and I didn't even hear his mind! He either has a naturally strong shield or else he learned how to shield his mind from telepaths like me from somewhere."

"So I asked him, 'Are you the Undertaker?' He replied me with that scary smile of his. 'I am, and might you be the Black Rose himself, twin brother to the Crimson Rose herself and also grandnephew to the Queen herself?' I was seriously scared at that point. Only Jade and I knew that I was the grandnephew to the Queen, and my title of the Black Rose was known only to a trusted handful of my lieutenants. So I tried to change the subject by asking him what he was doing in my territory."

"His reply? 'I'm just having fun here~!' I was so freaked out by then that I hurried out with Jade. From then on, not one of us dares to visit the Undertaker's store. He will collect the bodies of those who died, but other than that no one talks to him because we're too scared!" Carlisle finished with a shudder, Jade having a similar reaction. Claudia scratched her head in puzzlement. After all, it took little to scare her twin and Jade, so when she had seen the memory of the Undertaker from the demons, her twin and Jade, she felt a little surprised. Still…

"Everyone, I'm afraid we have to visit the Undertaker if we want to find more information on the mysterious disappearances." This was met with a collective groan from Ciel, Carlisle and Jade. Sebastian didn't groan, but the unhappy expression on his face and his thoughts were proof enough for Claudia that the older demon would have groaned too if it wasn't for the fact that he was supposed to be a 'perfect butler'. This made Claudia smile a little as she left to make preparations for the trip ahead, William joining her to escape the gloomy atmosphere that had descended upon the room's occupants.

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><p>There was a town in England which normal citizens would take one look at and immediately flee away from. The streets were rarely lit due to the badly functioning street lights, and cast gloom upon the dirty paths. Walls were scrawled with graffiti, and no one walked the streets alone. When they did, they were either very confident, or else armed with a weapon to defend them with. Almost all the stores had either boarded up windows or broken windows and doors due to the high crime rate in town, all except for a certain store.<p>

The store cast an aura that was seemingly even scarier than the dingy town itself. It was the only store that was unmarked by anything, be it stones, bricks, or even fire. And it was at this very store that an unmarked Mercedes and Jaguar stopped at. Several sets of eyes had tracked the vehicles' movements ever since it drove into the town itself, and to add to the excitement, the vehicles looked like they were worth _thousands, _therefore the interest and greediness in those eyes as they pondered stealing the cars once the owners had left.

That was, until they saw the first few people who stepped out. The first was a hot chick who looked to be in her twenties. She caused a stir among some of the younger and inexperienced gang members who pondered adding rape to their list of crimes while the older veterans seemed to pale at the sight of her. She stepped out of the front passenger seat of the Mercedes and headed straight for the back seat, opening it to reveal a young raven haired teen whose silver grey mask betrayed nothing as it covered his upper facial features. He wore a black jacket and dark blue jeans while a gun in a leather holster strapped to his left thigh showed that he meant business.

The teen was soon joined by a blond haired man whose long hair was tied back into a loose ponytail. The man's icy blue eyes could be seen behind his glasses zeroing in on the shadows where several of the gangs were hidden, and the members all flinched as they were assessed by those cold eyes which suggested unspeakable violence to those who dared step towards the car. A soft peal of laughter came from the car's interior and the young males all watched dreamily as a small and petite raven haired girl stepped out of the vehicle, amethyst eyes looking straight into icy blue even as she spoke, "Stop scaring them Will. They've done us no harm so leave them alone." At this, the man bowed and said nothing.

Ciel too had stepped out of his Jaguar with Sebastian by his side. The one eyed boy had brought along his sword – cane and shuddered mentally at the sight of the store which the Undertaker had set up shop in. It was exactly the same as he remembered from the Victorian era. The Undertaker still had not changed the creepy exterior and the large sign proclaimed 'UNDERTAKER' boldly. "Looks like we're here Rouge, Claudia," Ciel said stiffly. The twins had requested that Ciel use Carlisle's alias since they had no wish to reveal that the Rouge was actually a noble in disguise, therefore the secrecy. His sharp eye scanned the scanned the shadows where several greedy eyes watched their every movement, and Sebastian did the same, locking the car doors before he glared at the gangsters and allowed his eyes to flash red, showing off his demonic nature and scaring away the cowardly ones while those who had more courage trembled in fear.

"_Guys, there's no need to scare them. After all, I'm supposed to be in control here, remember?" _Carlisle/Rouge remarked dryly through telepathy to the demons even as he scowled at the Undertaker's store, looking less than pleased. Claudia walked over to his side, placing a hand lightly on his arm, causing him to look at her in surprise.

"_Calm down before you unleash that unhappiness of yours on innocent people, all right?" _Claudia said, fixing her firm gaze on her older twin. Carlisle sighed before nodding and stepping forth into the Undertaker's store.

As expected, the Undertaker's store was dark, and it took a while for everyone's eyes to adjust to the gloom. When they did, they saw a room full of coffins scattered around carelessly. Carlisle gave way to an uncharacteristic gulp as he stepped back, while Claudia stared at the coffins, lost in memories…

*_Flashback_*

_She watched silently as her mother and father lay in inside their coffins, their bodies pale and unmoving. Around her, strangers offered their condolences, and women gossiped about the loss of her parents, how it was such a tragedy that the young couple had died, leaving their only child behind. Of course, they didn't know about Carlisle, about how he was her secret twin and that he had swapped places with her a few times already to pay respects to their parents. No one knew that Bogart was responsible for their parents' murder._

Bogart, _just the thought of him was enough to make her fists clench. That insufferable goddamn monster had managed to get away from jail time simply because he had an alibi. Therefore, that bastard had been released due to 'insufficient evidence'. Inside her mind, Carlisle gave way to a small bark of bitter laughter. _"Insufficient evidence my ass. That goddamn bastard greased the hands of the cops who arrested him so that he could escape jail time." _Claudia understood his anger. After all, Bogart had murdered their parents, leaving them as orphans and also the responsibilities of the Black and Crimson Rose. Claudia sighed again, before replying to her brother._

"Carlisle, calm yourself. I have no wish for you to make a scene during the funeral." _She informed her twin, who sent her an image of him grimacing away at this but also nodding reluctantly. After all, the twins had promised Jade that they would be on their best behaviour and not cause a ruckus during the funeral._

"Claudia, snap out of it. Hey Claudia, talk to me!" Claudia gave herself a mental head shake, and snapped back to reality only to see Will looking at her with an expression of concern on his face.

"Ah, sorry about that William, I had no idea I had zoned out." Claudia apologised, making William sigh ruefully before turning his attention back to their surroundings. Ciel and Sebastian shared nervous glances with each other as they scanned the shop interior as if as they scanned the shop interior as if they expected someone or something to pop out of nowhere. Carlisle and Jade seemed spooked too while Claudia and William exchanged puzzled looks at their companions' weird behaviour.

That was, until a voice sang out from behind Claudia and William. "Hello there~! How may I help you~?" Claudia couldn't help but let out a yelp of surprise while William whirled around in a defensive stance. They were greeted by the sight of a lean man with long grey hair including a few braids throughout. His eyes were hidden beneath his long hair, and had a noticeable scar across his face, neck, and left pinky finger and has long black fingernails. He wore all black, including an incredibly long, black top hat, and a long, grey scarf across his chest, with it knotted by his hips.

He gave the group an eerie smile, which immediately caused Carlisle to cringe behind his twin while Ciel paled. Claudia merely blinked in surprise while the William and Sebastian exchanged looks of shock. Jade seemed to pale too at the sight of the Undertaker, who started laughing away at their reactions. "Hello there, you must be the Undertaker." Claudia greeted the laughing man even as she thought to herself, _amazing. I didn't even sense him at all so he must have a strong mental shield. _She snapped back to reality when the Undertaker spoke again.

"So, you came back, little Earl and Rouge~?" The Undertaker said happily. The two mentioned seemed to pale even more before Ciel summoned up the courage to speak.

"Yes, because we want to ask you something. What do you know of the recent disappearances?" Ciel asked sharply. The Undertaker grinned again before declaring aloud.

"Oh, I'll tell you, once you give me, a first rate laugh!" Ciel sighed at this; he should have expected it after all. He was just about to order Sebastian to fulfil the Undertaker's request, only to be interrupted.

"No, I don't want you to do it! I want the little lady to show me what she can do!" The Undertaker said excitedly even as he pointed at Claudia. William opened his mouth, ready to protest and offer himself instead, but Claudia gave way to a soft chuckle.

"If that's what you want, then I'll do it." Claudia replied with a huge grin on her face. "Gentlemen and Jade, please move outside and wait for me to call you in when I'm done." With that, everyone else soon found themselves outside in the gloom waiting and wondering.

"Hey Rouge, can you hear what she's saying?" Ciel questioned curiously. Carlisle shook his head, puzzlement clear in his tone as he replied.

"I can't, because Dia's blocking me." Carlisle said miserably. "Can't you just hear with your demon hearing?" He questioned in return.

The two demons shook their head at this. "The walls are too thick," Sebastian explained, making Carlisle give way to a miserable sigh as he wondered how long he had to wait out in the dirty streets. They didn't have long to wait though, since a few minutes later, loud laughter rang out from the store, startling the group. It was then Claudia poked her head out of the door and invited them in with a cheerful grin. "You may come in now everyone." She said brightly, holding the door open for them to pass through. Everyone entered to see the Undertaker draped over his coffin still chuckling away, muttering incoherently to himself.

"What did you tell him to make him laugh so much, milady?" William questioned. Claudia giggled at this, before replying with a wink in Carlisle's direction.

"I merely told him a funny incident involving Black when we were still kids and our parents were still alive." Carlisle blinked in confusion at this, scratching his head in confusion as he attempted to remember. A look of horror came over his face then, clearly showing that he remembered.

"You told him THAT? But you promised not to tell!" Carlisle whined miserably, glaring at his giggling twin. This only served to make Ciel, Sebastian and William more curious, and they looked at Jade for an explanation, only to blink in surprise to see the usually stoic woman having trouble being impassive due to a fit of giggles threatening to crack her façade.

"Can someone tell us what's going on?" William questioned.

Claudia grinned at this, and replied. "When we were 10, we had a guest come over to our mansion. I still remember that the guest was actually a troublesome boy whose parents had hoped that we could discipline. Our parents introduced Carlisle to the boy as me, and that silly boy fell in love with Carlisle at first sight. That silly boy followed me and Carlisle all around the mansion head over heels in love with us, and refused to leave us alone. He eventually left, but sometimes he never fails to send us a letter, hoping to have a reply from his 'beloved'." With that, Claudia, Jade and the Undertaker gave way to hoots of laughter as Carlisle flushed in embarrassment.

Ciel couldn't help but smile a little at this, and next to him William and Sebastian's lips twitched as they tried to stifle their laughter. When it was clear that everyone had regained their composure, Ciel asked the Undertaker once again for the information the group sought.

"Oh, you want to know if I know anything about the recent disappearances eh? Well, I can tell you that there were no bodies that came to me if that's what you're asking." The Undertaker answered casually while munching on a bone biscuit. Ciel gaped at this, and was ready to press for more information, when he noticed the silent looks the twins were exchanging.

They were having another silent conversation again, and this time, it seemed serious, since there were no smiles or signs of amusement whatsoever. Claudia seemed to be worried as her face showed worry, while Carlisle was doubtful, shaking his head every few minutes or so. Then Claudia took on a fierce expression as she glared at her twin, making large gestures to emphasize her point. Carlisle merely raised an eyebrow, as if asking, _are you sure about that?_ Claudia nodded energetically, while Carlisle crossed his arms, unconvinced. Claudia then smiled hopefully in her twin's direction, jerking her head towards the Undertaker as if suggesting they ask him something. Carlisle let out a defeated sigh at this, and raised his hands in surrender. Claudia smiled happily at this, and turned to the Undertaker, asking him, "Undertaker, may I know if anyone has approached you these few months, asking if you were willing to supply fresh corpses to them for scientific purposes."

Undertaker paused in his munching at this, and replied, "Now that you say it, yes. There was this group of people that approached me five months back, asking me to supply them fresh corpses. They offered large amounts of cash, but I wasn't interested, and turned them down. After all, I have no use for money."

"Did they leave you a name or card?" Claudia questioned once more.

"No, but I heard them mention something about a 'super soldier project'." The Undertaker answered before returning to his cookies. Everyone paled at this, since they had heard about William's horrifying experience in the labs where they changed him and later tried to brainwash him.

"It's come full circle. History is back to bite us in the butt. They're restarting the super soldier project." Carlisle breathed in shock while William sat down, hard, on one of the coffins, putting his head in his hands as he recalled the unspeakable horrors he had been through.

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><p><strong>Raychaell: Cliffie! The military is restarting the super soldier project!<strong>

**Carlisle: *groans* I can't believe this. You're actually still HAPPY about something like this?**

**Claudia: *fiercely* William, don't worry, I'll protect you!**

**William: *smiles sadly* Thank you, milady.**

**Raychaell: Anyway, you know what to do, everyone. Review and I'll update faster! BYE!**


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